Abstract
CONTROVERSY surrounds the conflicts between the requirements of human safety and the preservation of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in western North America. It has been difficult to separate the effect of factors such as the closure of garbage dumps from that of the climate. It has also proved difficult to relate climatic data to changes in the populations of large mammals. I report here a correlation of climatic change with fluctuations in the sizes of litters of grizzly bears born in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, during 1958–1976. The decrease in litter sizes observed since the closure of garbage dumps seems to be largely a consequence of unfavourable weather during the periods of the final fattening of the mother, winter sleep, birth, lactation and early spring foraging. This study represents one of the few times that the effects of climate have been demonstrated for large omnivorous or carnivorous mammals.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lamb, H. H. Symposium on Changes of Climate, Arid Zone Res. 20, 125–150 (UNESCO, Paris, 1963).
Climatological Data for Wyoming (U. S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC) (1958–76).
Craighead, J. J., Varney, J. R. & Craighead, F. C. School of Forestry, Bulletin 40 (Univ. Montana, Missoula, Montana 1974).
Knight, R., Basile, J., Greer, K., Judd, S., Oldenburg, L. & Roop, L. Misc. Rept 10 (National Park Service, Washington, DC, 1977).
Craighead, F. C. & Craighead, J. J. Wildl. Monogr. 32 (The Wildl. Soc., Washington, DC, 1972).
Rogers, L. Trans. North Am. Wildl. Nat. Res. Conf. 41, 431–438 (1976).
Mealey, S. P. Proc. Int. Bear Res. 4 (National Park Service, Glacier National Park, Montana, in the press).
Pearson, A. M. Can. Wildl. Service Rep 34, 86pp (1972).
Cole, G. F. J. Wildl. Manag. 36, 556–561 (1972).
Houston, D. B. The Northern Yellowstone Elk, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming 1974).
Johnson, A. S. Defenders of Wildlife News October, 577–568 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PICTON, H. Climate and reproduction of grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park. Nature 274, 888–889 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/274888a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/274888a0
This article is cited by
-
The central role of Clark's nutcracker in the dispersal and establishment of whitebark pine
Oecologia (1982)
-
A climate index and mule deer fawn survival in Montana
International Journal of Biometeorology (1979)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
