Grant Hilderbrand - Associate Regional Director for Resources

Wildlife biologist Grant Hilderbrand has contributed significantly to our knowledge of brown bears in Alaska parks.

Grant V. Hilderbrand, PhD
Associate Regional Director for Resources, Alaska
240 W 5th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
[phone]
[e-mail]

Research Gate Profile
Google Scholar Profile

Education
Ph.D. Washington State University, Pullman WA, Zoology, 1998
M.S. Washington State University, Pullman WA, Zoology, 1995
B.S. South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, Zoology, 1993

Areas of Interest
Large mammal ecology, nutritional ecology, wildlife harvest management, wildlife capture and handling, nutrient flow between ecosystems

Professional Experience
2022 - present Associate Regional Director for Resources, National Park Service, Alaska Region
2020 - 2022 Natural Resources Team Lead, National Park Service, Alaska Region
2015 - 2020 Associate Center Director for Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2010 - 2015 Regional Wildlife Biologist, National Park Service, Alaska Region
2004 - 2009 Regional Supervisor, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation
1998 - 2004 Research Wildlife Biologist, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation

Professional Activities
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) North American Bear Expert Team
2019-2022, The Wildlife Society, Northwest Section Representative to Council
2016 Conference co-chair - International Conference on Bear Research and Management
2014-2016 President, Alaska Chapter of The Wildlife Society

Honors and Awards

2014 NPS Alaska Region Award for Natural Resource Stewardship
2013 NPS Director's Award for Natural Resource Stewardship

2009 Alaska Department of Fish and Game Director's Award for Meritorious Service

2008 Fellow, National Conservation Leadership Institute

Media

• What shapes gut microbiomes of Alaska's brown bears? Location, location, location, Secular Times, April 9, 2022
• Wild Cam: Brown bears prey on sea otters on Alaskan islets, The Wildlife Society, October 19, 2020

Publications

Fuchs, B., K. Joly, G. V. Hilderbrand, A. L. Evans, I. Rodushkin, L. S. Mangipane, B. A. Mangipane, D. D. Gustine, A. Zedrosser, L. Brown, and J. M. Arnemo. 2023. Toxic elements in arctic and sub-arctic brown bears: Blood concentrations of As, Cd, Hg and Pb in relation to diet, age, and human footprint. Environmental Research 229: 115952.

Haynes, E., S. Coker, M. J. Yabsley, K. D. Niedrighaus, A. M. Ramey, G. G. Verocai, G. V. Hilderbrand, K. Joly, D. D. Gustine, B. Mangipane, W. B. Leacock, A. P. Crupi, and C. A. Cleveland. 2023. Survey for selected parasites in Alaska brown bears (Ursus arctos). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 59 (1): 186-191. DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-22-00070.

Sorum, M. S., M. D. Cameron, A. Crupi, G. K. Sage, S. L. Talbot, G. V. Hilderbrand, and K. Joly. 2023. Pronounced brown bear aggregation along anadromous streams in interior Alaska. Wildlife Biology e01057.

Monson, D. H., R. L. Taylor, G. V. Hilderbrand, J. A. Erlenbach, H. A. Coletti, K. A. Kloecker, G. G. Esslinger, and J. L. Bodkin. 2022. Brown bear-sea otter interactions along the Katmai coast: Terrestrial and nearshore communities linked by predation. Journal of Mammalogy pp. 1-13.

Coletti, H., G. Hilderbrand, J. Bodkin, B. Bellachey, J. Erlenbach, G. Esslinger, M. Hannam, K. Kloecker, B. Mangipane, A. Miller, D. Monson, B. Pister, K. Griffin, K. Bodkin, and T. Smith. 2022. Where land and sea meet: Brown bears and sea otters. Frontiers for Young Minds 10: 715993.

Trujillo, S. M., E. A. McKenney, G. V. Hilderbrand, L. S. Mangipane, M. C. Rogers, K. Joly, D. D. Gustine, J. A. Erlenbach, B. A. Mangipane, and D. J. R. Lafferty. 2022. Correlating gut microbial membership to brown bear health metrics. Scientific Reports 12: 15415.

Joly, K., M. D. Cameron, M. S. Sorum, D. D. Gustine, W. Deacy, and G. V. Hilderbrand. 2022. Factors influencing Arctic brown bear annual home range sizes and limitations of home range analyses. Ursus (33e11): 1-12.

Trujillo, S. M., E. A. McKenney, G. V. Hilderbrand, L. S. Mangipane, M. C. Rogers, K. Joly, D. D. Gustine, J. A. Erlenbach, B. A. Mangipane, and D. J. R. Lafferty. 2022. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence on an omnivore's gut microbiome. PLOS ONE 17(4): e0266698.

Levi, T., G. V. Hilderbrand, M. D. Hocking, T. P. Quinn, K. S. White, … W. Deacy, et al. 2020. Community ecology and conservation of bear-salmon ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 8: e513304.

Cameron, M. D., G. V. Hilderbrand, K. Joly, J. H. Schmidt, D. D. Gustine, L. S. Mangipane, B. Mangipane, and M. S. Sorum. 2020. Body size plasticity in North American black and brown bears. Ecosphere 11(8): e03235.

Rogers, M. C., G. V. Hilderbrand, D. D. Gustine, K. Joly, W. B. Lealock, B. A. Mangipane, and J. M. Welker. 2020. Splitting hairs: Dietary niche breadth modelling using stable isotope analysis of a sequentially grown tissue. Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2020.1787404

Mangipane, L. S., D. J. R. Lafferty, K. Joly, M. S. Sorum, M. D. Cameron, J. L. Belant, G. V. Hilderbrand, and D. D. Gustine. 2020. Dietary plasticity and the importance of salmon to brown bear (Ursus arctos) body size and condition in a low Arctic ecosystem. Polar Biology.

Sorum, M. S., K. Joly, M. D. Cameron, D. D. Gustine, and G. V. Hilderbrand. 2020. Salmon sleuths: GPS-collared bears lead researchers to unknown salmon streams in Interior Alaska. Alaska Park Science 19(1): 4-9.

Sorum, M. S., K. Joly, A. G. Wells, M. D. Cameron, G. V. Hilderbrand, and D. D. Gustine. 2019. Den-site characteristics and selection by brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the central Brooks Range of Alaska. Ecosphere 10(8): e02822. 10.1002/ecs2.2822

Hilderbrand, G. V., D. D. Gustine, K. Joly, B. Mangipane, W. Leacock, M. D. Cameron, M. S. Sorum, L. S. Mangipane, and J. A. Erlenbach. 2019. Influence of maternal body size, condition, and age on recruitment of four brown bear populations. Ursus 29(2): 111-118.

Hilderbrand, G. V., K. Joly, M. S. Sorum, M. D. Cameron, and D. D. Gustine. 2019. Brown bear (Ursus arctos) body size, condition, and productivity in the Arctic, 1977-2016. Polar Biology:1-6

Ramey, A. M., C. A. Cleveland, G. V. Hilderbrand, K. Joly, D. D. Gustine, B. Mangipane, W. B. Leacock, A. P. Crupi, D. E. Hill, J. P. Dubey, and M. J. Yabsley. 2018. Exposure of Alaska brown bears (Ursus arctos) to bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents varies spatiotemporally and may be influenced by age. Journal of Wildlife Diseases doi: 10.7589/2018-07-173

Bowen, L., A. K. Miles, S. Waters, D. Gustine, K. Joly, and G. Hilderbrand. 2017. Using gene transcription to assess ecological and anthropological stressors in brown bears. EcoHealth 11 pp.

Stanek, A., N. B. Wolf, G. V. Hilderbrand, B. A. Mangipane, D. Causey, and J. M. Welker. 2017. Seasonal foraging strategies of Alaskan gray wolves (Canis lupus) in a salmon subsidized ecosystem. Canadian Journal of Zoology 95(8):555-563. doi:10.1139/cjz-2016-0203.

Coletti, H. A., G. V. Hilderbrand, and J. Pfeiffenberger. 2015. An overview of the changing tides research project. Pages 87-90 in Coastal Research Science in Alaska's National Parks. Alaska Park Science 15(1).

Hilderbrand, G. V. 2014. Applied conservation ethics: Argument analyses of baiting as a harvest technique for brown and black bears. The Wildlife Professional 8(2):60-63.

Teisberg, J. E., S. D. Farley, L. Nelson, G. V. Hilderbrand, M. Madel, O. Owen, C. Erlenbach, and C. T. Robbins. 2014. Immobilization of grizzly bears with dexmetatomidine, tiletamine, and zolazepam. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 50(1):74-83. doi:10.7589/2012-11-273.

Hilderbrand, G. V., J. Hechtel, D. Shideler, and P. Owens. 2013. Fatal grizzly bear attack on Mr. Richard White on the Toklat River, Denali National Park, August 24, 2012. National Park Service, Board of Review Report. Denali Park, Alaska, 7 p.

Hilderbrand, G. V., K. Joly, S. P. Rabinowitch, and B. S. Shults. 2013. Wildlife stewardship on NPS Units in Alaska. National Park Service, Natural Resource Technical Report.

Hilderbrand, G. V. and H. N. Golden. 2013. Body composition of free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus). Canadian Journal of Zoology 91:1-6. doi:10.1139/cjz-2012-0205.

Hilderbrand, G. V., S. P. Rabinowitch, and D. Mills. 2013. Black bear baiting in Alaska and in Alaska's National Park Service Lands. Ursus 24(1):91-96. doi:10.2192/URSUS-D-12-00023.1.

Hilderbrand, G. V. 2013. Using ethics arguments to preserve naturalness: A case study of wildlife harvest practices on NPS lands in Alaska. Pages 46-65 in Wilderness in Alaska. Alaska Park Science 13(1).

Hatch, K. A., B. L. Roeder, R. S. Buckman, B. H. Gale, S. T. Bunnell, D. L. Eggett, J. Auger, L. A. Felicetti, and G. V. Hilderbrand. 2011. Isotopic and gross fecal analysis of American black bear scats. Ursus 22(2):133-140. doi:10.2192/URSUS-D-10-00034.1.

Suring, L. H., S. D. Farley, G. V. Hilderbrand, M. I. Goldstein, S. Howlin, and W. P. Erickson. 2006. Patterns of landscape use by female brown bears on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Journal of Wildlife Management 70(6):1580-1587. doi:10.2193/0022-541X(2006)70[1580:POLUBF]2.0.CO;2.

Robbins, C. T., G. V. Hilderbrand, and S. D. Farley. 2002. Incorporating concentration dependence in stable isotope mixing models: A response to Phillips and Koch (2002). Oecologia 133(1):10-13. doi:10.1007/s00442-002-0978-5.

Farley, S. D., G. V. Hilderbrand, G. Del Frate, T. Bailey, R. Ernst, L. H. Suring, W. Shuster, M. Tetreau, and J. Schoen. 2001. A conservation assessment of the Kenai Peninsula brown bear. Interagency Brown Bear Study Team.

Hilderbrand, G. V., L. L. Lewis, J. Larrivee, and S. D. Farley. 2000. A denning brown bear, Ursus arctos, sow and two cubs killed in an avalanche on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Canadian Field-Naturalist 114(3):498.

Hilderbrand, G. V., C. C. Schwartz, C. T. Robbins, M. E. Jacoby, T. A. Hanley, S. M. Arthur, and C. Servheen. 1999. Importance of meat, particularly salmon to body size, population productivity, and conservation of North American brown bears. Canadian Journal of Zoology 77(1):132-138. doi:10.1139/z98-195.

Jacoby, M. E., G. V. Hilderbrand, C. Servheen, C. C. Schwartz, S. M. Arthur, T. A. Hanley, C. T. Robbins, and R. Michener. 1999. Trophic relations of brown and black bears in several western North American ecosystems. Journal of Wildlife Management 63(3):921-929. doi:10.2307/3802806.

Hilderbrand, G. V. 1998. Studies of the Nutritional Ecology of Coastal Brown Bears. Dissertation, Washington State University, Pullman, WA., 63 p.

Hilderbrand, G. V., C. T. Robbins, and S. D. Farley. 1998. Response to Bocheren's comment on: Use of stable isotopes to determine diets of living and extinct bears. Canadian Journal of Zoology 76(12):2301-2303. doi:10.1139/z98-162.

Hilderbrand, G. V., S. D. Farley, and C. T. Robbins. 1998. Predicting body condition of bears using two field methods. Journal of Wildlife Management 62(1):406-409.

Hilderbrand, G. V., C. T. Robbins, and S. D. Farley. 1998. Determination of body composition of brown and black bears. Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.

Robbins, C. T., G. V. Hilderbrand, M. E. Jacoby, E. Shochat, and S. D. Farley. 1997. Studies of the nutritional ecology of bears. International Association of Bear Research and Management 6:20.

Hilderbrand, G. V., S. D. Farley, C. T. Robbins, T. A. Hanley, K. Titus, and C. Servheen. 1996. Use of stable isotopes to predict diets of living and extinct bears. Canadian Journal of Zoology 74(11):2080-2088. doi:10.1139/z96-236.

Hilderbrand, G. V. 1995. Use of stable isotopes to predict diets of living and extinct bears. Thesis, Washington State University, Pullman, WA., 27 p.