Citizen Science: Brown Bear Genetics

Trail cameras can provide information supplemental to the genetic information from the hair samples. We can see individuals, the times they are active, and the locations where we capture their activity.

How many different bears use the park? How are they related? How does bear density change annually and seasonally within the park? Are bears mostly using the park during the fall salmon run or are there other reasons why they’re here? We will explore these questions and more with our bear monitoring project. We have deployed trail cameras to identify individuals and to provide supplemental information. In the near future, the park is looking to identify individual bears and learn how they are related by collecting hair samples and analyzing the genetic material. We will have strategically placed bear hair catchment devices (essentially large hair brushes) throughout the park to collect samples. These techniques together will help us learn about the bears within the park and provide baseline information for future management decisions.