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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «BIOLOGIYA. ECOLOGIYA»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «BIOLOGY. ECOLOGY»
ISSN 2073-3372 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Biology. Ecology». 2022. Vol 42

Cannibalism by Asiatic Black Bear () in the Sikhote-Alin (Russian Far East)

Author(s)
I. V. Seryodkin, S. S. Ogurtsov, K. Yamazaki, Y. Goto, D. Miquelle
Abstract
Cannibalism is widespread among bears and is most common among brown bears (Ursus arctus) and polar bears (U. maritimus). However, it is rarely recorded for the Asiatic black bears (U. thibetanus). Previously several cases of cannibalism by Asiatic black bears were described in Sikhote-Alin (Russian Far East) and Japan. Our report describes two cases in which GPS-collared (Vectronic Aerospace GPS Plus-2 Collar) male Asiatic black bears consumed the remains of another same species bears in the Sikhote-Alin in 2017. Satellite telemetry allowed us to monitor utilization of prey by bears. In the first case, the adult GPS-collared male killed and ate a female and a first-year cub in the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve. At the kill site, we observed signs of female fight with the male. During the feeding on carcass male dragged it several times. For 12 days (June 26 – July 8), the bear completely ate the bear cub and utilized the female by 80%. In the second case, another GPS-collared adult male Asiatic black bear was feeding on Asiatic black bear for four days (July 1– 5) near the Sikhote-Alin Reserve. The causes of death of the eaten bear were unknown. It was not possible to determine the sex and age of the eaten bear, because it was almost completely utilized. The observations presented in this report supplement the data of intraspecific interaction between the Asiatic black bears.
About the Authors

Seryodkin Ivan Vladimirovich, Candidate of Sciences (Biology), Associate Professor, Leading Research Scientist, Pacific Geographical Institute FEB RAS, 7, Radio st., Vladivostok, 690041, Russian Federation, e-mail: seryodkinivan@inbox.ru

Ogurtsov Sergei Sergeevich, Research Scientist, Tsentralno-Lesnoi State Nature Biosphere Reserve, Zapovednyi settl., Nelidovskii district, Tver Region, 172521, Russian Federation, e-mail: etundra@mail.ru

Yamazaki Koji, PhD, Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, e-mail: yamako@j.email.ne.jp

Goto Yusuke, Scientist, Ibaraki Nature Museum, 700, Osaki, Bando, Ibaraki, 306-0622, Japan, e-mail: gochan.pb4@gmail.com

Miquelle Dale, PhD, Director of Russian Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300, Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York, 10460, USA, e-mail: dmiquelle@wcs.org

For citation
Seryodkin I.V., Ogurtsov S.S., Yamazaki K., Goto Y., Miquelle D. Cannibalism by Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) in the Sikhote-Alin (Russian Far East). The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Biology. Ecology, 2022, vol. 42, pp. 99-104. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2022.42.99 (in Russian)
Keywords
Asiatic black bear, cannibalism, Sikhote-Alin, predation, Ursus thibetanus.
UDC
599.742.26:591.552
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2022.42.99
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