Feasibility of implementing a long-term plan to monitor the Arctic Basin polar bear subpopulation

The Arctic Basin (AB) polar bear subpopulation is the least studied of the 19 global polar bear subpopulations. The Polar Bear Specialist Group (PBSG) recognizes the AB subpopulation as a regional grouping intended to include bears that do not belong to any of the remaining subpopulations that have data to support boundary delineations. Very little is currently known about the AB subpopulation including information on its size, genetic uniqueness, or movement patterns, most likely due to its remote range, and uncertainty about whether the AB subpopulation represents a true subpopulation. We provide an overview on the minimum requirements needed to monitor the AB subpopulation; challenges for establishing and implementing a monitoring program; feasibility of different monitoring techniques; alternative sources of inference; and general suggestions for moving forward.