Factors affecting the number of nuisance kills of black bears in spring in Akita and Iwate prefecture

Abstract

The number of nuisance black bears Ursus thibetanus caught from April to June fluctuates between years. This study analyzed the relationship between the number of bears caught in Akita and Iwate prefectures and several conceivable factors, including the timing of snow melt in spring and the beechnut production level in the preceding year. In Akita, the number of bears caught negatively correlated to the date of snow melt in spring, indicating that earlier thaw was likely to cause to more captured nuisance bears. In Iwate, either of these factors did not explain the fluctuations in the number of nuisance bears caught.