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Anthony M Pagano, Ph.D.

Ecophysiology, spatial ecology, and behavior of large mammals

Professional Experience

  • 2022 - Present     Research Wildlife Biologist     USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska

  • 2021 - 2022          Post-doctoral Researcher        Washington State University, Pullman, Washington

  • 2018 - 2021          Post-doctoral Researcher        Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido, California

  • 2008 - 2018         Wildlife Biologist                       USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D.   2018   University of California, Santa Cruz      Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

  • M.S.    2007   University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN   Wildlife Conservation

  • B.A.    2002   Northeastern University, Boston, MA     Biology and History

Science and Products

Polar bear mother and two cubs on the Beaufort Sea ice.

Polar Bear Research

Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) are one of 4 marine mammal species managed by the U.S. Department of Interior. The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat. Our studies, ongoing since 1985, are focused on population dynamics, health and energetics...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Polar Bear Research

Polar Bear Research

Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) are one of 4 marine mammal species managed by the U.S. Department of Interior. The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat. Our studies, ongoing since 1985, are focused on population dynamics, health and energetics...
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Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

Tracking Data for Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Available here are tracking data of Polar Bear. Research focuses on the two polar bear subpopulation’s whose range includes Alaska: the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation that ranges between the North Slope of Alaska and western Canada and the Chukchi Sea or Alaska-Chukotka subpopulation that ranges between the northwest coast of Alaska and eastern Russia.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Tracking Data for Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Tracking Data for Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Available here are tracking data of Polar Bear. Research focuses on the two polar bear subpopulation’s whose range includes Alaska: the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation that ranges between the North Slope of Alaska and western Canada and the Chukchi Sea or Alaska-Chukotka subpopulation that ranges between the northwest coast of Alaska and eastern Russia.
Learn More
Polar bear still hunting at a seal breathing hole

Health and Energetics of Polar Bears

The warming climate has the potential to drive significant changes in the health and energetics of Arctic fauna, particularly those dependent on sea ice habitats like polar bears. An animal’s health and energetic state reflects the interaction between its behavioral choices and the environment. Because of this, measuring changes in health and energetics has potential for revealing important...
By
Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Health and Energetics of Polar Bears

Health and Energetics of Polar Bears

The warming climate has the potential to drive significant changes in the health and energetics of Arctic fauna, particularly those dependent on sea ice habitats like polar bears. An animal’s health and energetic state reflects the interaction between its behavioral choices and the environment. Because of this, measuring changes in health and energetics has potential for revealing important...
Learn More
A polar bear walks across rubble ice in the Alaska portion of the southern Beaufort Sea

Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears

Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea...
By
Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears

Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears

Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea...
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Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Stable Isotope, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, 2023 Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Stable Isotope, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, 2023

This data release includes 4 child items with data regarding metabolic rate, body composition, diet, behavior, blood chemistry, stable isotope, tri-axial accelerometer, and GPS locations of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) on the North Slope of Alaska, 2023. Child Item 1: "GPS Location Data from Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) Instrumented on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, 2023" Child Item 2:...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center

Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022 Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022

This data release includes 4 child items with data regarding metabolic rate, body composition, diet, behavior, blood chemistry, stable isotope, tri-axial accelerometer, and GPS locations of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) on land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022. Child Item 1: "GPS Location Data from Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) Instrumented on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019...
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017 Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017

This dataset consists of one table with estimated locations of adult female polar bears during July-November 1985-2017, used for quantifying changes in summer land use over time. Locations were estimated with a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model fit to satellite tracking from radio-collared adult female polar bears. All bears included in this data set were captured and
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016 Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016

This dataset consists of one table with predicted locations of adult female polar bears. Locations were derived by a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model using satellite tracking radio-collared adult female polar bears captured and instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016.
By
Alaska Science Center

Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

These data are serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels for polar bears captured in the southern Beaufort Sea 1983-2016 and the Chukchi Sea 1987-1993 and 2008-2017. The dataset includes relevant information about the bears that were captured including the latitude and longitude of their capture location, capture date, age class and sex, the age and number of cubs accompanying an adult...
By
Alaska Science Center

Satellite Location and Tri-Axial Accelerometer Data from Adult Female Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014 Satellite Location and Tri-Axial Accelerometer Data from Adult Female Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014

This data package includes 2 child items with location and activity data from adult female polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014. Child Item 1: "GPS and Argos Location Data from Adult Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014" Child Item 2: "Tri-axial Accelerometer and Conductivity Sensor Data from Adult Female Polar...
By
Alaska Science Center

Locations Collected 1985-2015 from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) with Dependent Young Instrumented in the Southern Beaufort Sea with Satellite-linked Transmitters by the USGS Locations Collected 1985-2015 from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) with Dependent Young Instrumented in the Southern Beaufort Sea with Satellite-linked Transmitters by the USGS

This dataset contains a select subset of Argos and GPS locations collected by satellite data collection systems from collared adult female polar bears that were instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea between 1985-2015.
By
Alaska Science Center

Bioelectrical Impedance, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Morphological Measures of Southern Beaufort Sea Female Polar Bears, Spring 2014-2016 Bioelectrical Impedance, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Morphological Measures of Southern Beaufort Sea Female Polar Bears, Spring 2014-2016

This dataset contains data from the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis and deuterium injection as methods to estimate the body composition of female polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. Data are provided on bioelectrical impedance resistance measures, the enrichment level of deuterium oxide that was injected and measured in blood samples, and morphological...
By
Alaska Science Center

Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Foraging Success, Behavior, and GPS Locations of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), Beaufort Sea, Spring, 2014-2016 and Resting Energetics of an Adult Female Polar Bear Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Foraging Success, Behavior, and GPS Locations of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), Beaufort Sea, Spring, 2014-2016 and Resting Energetics of an Adult Female Polar Bear

This data package includes 5 child items with data from 9 female polar bears without dependent young in the southern Beaufort Sea in April 2014-2016. Child Item 1: "Doubly-labeled Water, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Blood Biochemistry Data from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea by the USGS in April 2014-2016" Child Item 2: "Resting Metabolic Rates of...
By
Alaska Science Center

Energetic Costs of Locomotion in Bears Energetic Costs of Locomotion in Bears

This dataset contains measures of tri-axial acceleration, oxygen consumption, and kinematic measures from two captive polar bears and seven captive grizzly bears resting and walking in a metabolic chamber.
By
Alaska Science Center

Measures of Oxygen Consumption and Stroke Frequency of a Captive Subadult Female Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) while Resting in Water and Swimming and Diving in a Metabolic Water Flume, Oregon Zoo, 2017 Measures of Oxygen Consumption and Stroke Frequency of a Captive Subadult Female Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) while Resting in Water and Swimming and Diving in a Metabolic Water Flume, Oregon Zoo, 2017

This dataset contains measures of oxygen consumption and stroke frequency from 1 captive subadult female polar bear (166.5 kg) resting in the water (n = 7 sessions) and swimming and diving in a metabolic swim flume with water circulated at approximately 0.6 km/hr during swimming and diving measurements (n = 6 sessions) in September 2017.
By
Alaska Science Center

Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011 Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011

These are data collected from Wildlife Computers ear tag platform transmitter terminals (PTT) deployed on polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea during the months of March, April, August, September, and October between 2009 and 2011. Purpose is to examine the performance and retention of ear tag satellite transmitters attached to polar bears.
By
Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear. Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.
POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Adult male polar bear equipped with a black square GPS-enabled video camera collar on land laying on grass.
Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar
Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar
Adult male polar bear equipped with a black square GPS-enabled video camera collar on land laying on grass.

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Adult male polar bear equipped with a black square GPS-enabled video camera collar on land laying on grass.

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Three polar bears in water. left side is bears face close, center is bears face looking at you, right is part of bears' nose.
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean
Three polar bears in water. left side is bears face close, center is bears face looking at you, right is part of bears' nose.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Three polar bears in water. left side is bears face close, center is bears face looking at you, right is part of bears' nose.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.
Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean
Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Looking at underneath of polar bear face as he walks down a beach taken with a GPS-enabled video camera attached to collar.
Adult male polar bear walking along the coast
Adult male polar bear walking along the coast
Looking at underneath of polar bear face as he walks down a beach taken with a GPS-enabled video camera attached to collar.

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Looking at underneath of polar bear face as he walks down a beach taken with a GPS-enabled video camera attached to collar.

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Faces of three polar bears. Left side is bear close up of face, center is underneath of chin, right is whole head and leg.
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land
Faces of three polar bears. Left side is bear close up of face, center is underneath of chin, right is whole head and leg.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Faces of three polar bears. Left side is bear close up of face, center is underneath of chin, right is whole head and leg.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
Filter Total Items: 33

The effects of carnivory and herbivory on the energy balance of Arctic grizzly bears The effects of carnivory and herbivory on the energy balance of Arctic grizzly bears

Omnivores often face tradeoffs between selecting for spatially dispersed energy-dense vertebrate prey versus densely distributed herbivorous resources that have limited energetic value per unit intake. Arctic grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) are large omnivores within a resource-limited ecosystem that are known to exhibit smaller body masses and occur at lower densities than grizzly bears in...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Karyn Rode, Kerry Nicholson, William Leacock, Craig Stricker, Charles Robbins
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center

Reply to the discussion by Pilfold “Polar bear mass change confirms hyperphagia follows ringed seal whelping” Reply to the discussion by Pilfold “Polar bear mass change confirms hyperphagia follows ringed seal whelping”

The spring is a critical period when polar bears (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) are thought to have peak access to seals and acquire the majority of their annual energy requirements during a period of hyperphagia. Pagano et al. (Pagano A.M., Atkinson S.N., and Archer L.C. 2025. Arctic Science.11:1-14. doi:10.1139/as-2024-0051) examined the intra-seasonal changes in body mass of 31 polar...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Stephen Atkinson, Louise Archer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center

Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets

The recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals but no clear pathway for how zero loss of important biodiversity areas and halting human-induced extinction of threatened species will be achieved. We assembled a multi-taxa tracking dataset (11 million geopositions from 15,845 tracked individuals across 121 species) to provide a global assessment of...
Authors
Ana Sequeira, Jorge Rodriguez, Sarah A. Marley, Hannah Calich, Mirjam van der Mheen, Michelle VanCompernolle, Lucy M. Arrowsmith, Lauren R. Peel, Nuno Queiroz, Marisa Vedor, Ivo da Costa, Gonzalo Mucientes, Ana Couto, Nicolas E. Humphries, Sara Abalo-Morla, Francisco J. Abascal, Debra L. Abercrombie, Katya Abrantes, F. Alberto Abreu-Grobois, André S. Afonso, Pedro Afonso, Heidi Ahonen, Susanne Åkesson, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Russel Andrews, Frederic Angelier, Marina Antonopoulou, Javier A. Arata, Gonzalo Araujo, Randall Arauz, Jose Arcos, Igor Arregui, Haritz Arrizabalaga, Marie Auger-Methe, Steffen Bach, Fred Bailleul, Robin W. Baird, George H. Balazs, Susan G. Barco, Adam Barnett, Warren Baverstock, Alastair Baylis, Annalea Beard, Juan Bécares, Eduardo Belda, Ian Bell, Ashley Bennison, Scott R. Benson, Diego Bernal, Michael L. Berumen, Sandra Bessudo, Natalia P.A. Bezerra, Antonin V. Blaison, Gabriela S. Blanco, Barbara Block, Mark Bolton, Mark E. Bond, Ramón Bonfil, Camrin D. Braun, Annette Broderick, Michael de L. Brooke, Annabelle M.L. Brooks, Edward J. Brooks, Ignacio Bruno, Jennifer Burns, Michael Byrne, Steven E. Campana, Hamish A. Campbell, Richard A. Campbell, Aaron Carlisle, Ruth Carmichael, Gemma Carroll, Paolo Casale, Filipe Ceia, Demian D. Chapman, Taylor K. Chapple, Jean-Benoit Charrassin, Andre Chiaradia, John Chisholm, Christopher R. Clarke, Thomas A. Clay, Christophe Cleguer, Elizabeth Clingham, Eric E. G. Clua, Jesse E.M. Cochran, Rochelle Constantine, Robert W. Cooper, Estelle Crochelet, Michelle Cronin, Eduardo Cuevas, Kayla P. DaCosta, Laurent Dagorn, Ryan Daly, Randall Davis, Nico P. J. de Bruyn, Carlos Delgado-Trejo, Thomas Dellinger, Solène Derville, Stella Diamant, Andrew DiMatteo, Kara L. Dodge, Philip Doherty, Michael C. Double, Alistair D. M. Dove, Thomas K Doyle, Michael J. Drew, Lindsay L. Dubbs, Clinton A.J. Duffy, Peter H. Dutton, Ewan W.J. Edwards, Luke D. Einoder, Mark V. Erdmann, Eduardo Espinoza, Nicole Esteban, Ana Fagundes, Chris Feare, Steven Ferguson, Luciana Ferreira, Francesco Ferretti, John Filmalter, Brittany Finucci, G. Chris Fischer, Richard J. Fitzpatrick, Jorge Fontes, Angela Formia, Sabrina Fossette, Malcolm P. Francis, Ari S. Friedlaender, Miguel Furtado, Austin Gallagher, Claire Garrigue, Enrico Gennari, H. Gilchrist, Brendan Godley, Simon Goldsworthy, Matthew Gollock, Victoria González Carman, W. Grecian, Jonathan R. Green, Christophe Guinet, Johan Gustafson, Tristan L. Guttridge, Hector M. Guzman, Derek Hamer, Keith Hamer, Neil Hammerschlag, Mike O. Hammill, Luke Harman, Emma Harrison, Catherine E. Hart, A. Errol Harris, Gordon Hastie, Fabio H.V. Hazin, Matt Heard, Alex R. Hearn, Mads Heide-Jorgensen, Leeann Henry, Robert Henry, Vicente Guzman Hernandez, Arturo E. Herrera, Mark Hindell, John C. Holdsworth, Bonnie J. Holmes, Lucy A. Howey, Edgar Mauricio Hoyos Padilla, Luis A. Huckstadt, Robert E. Hueter, Paulo H. Lara, Nigel Hussey, Charlie Huveneers, Kevin Hyland, Dylan T. Irion, David M.P. Jacoby, Audrey Jaeger, Mohammed Y. Jaidah, Mark Jessopp, Oliver J.D. Jewell, Ryan Johnson, Carl Jones, Ian D. Jonsen, Lance K.B. Jordan, Salvador J. Jorgensen, Akiko Kato, James T. Ketchum, Alexander S. Kitaysky, A. Klimley, Alison A. Kock, Pieter Koen, Felipe Ladino Archila, Fernanda O. Lana, Jude V. Lane, Matthieu Le Corre, Mary-Anne Lea, Eliza H.K. Leat, Olivia A. Lee, J. Jacob Levenson, César P. Ley-Quiñonez, Fiona Llewellyn, Gwen Lockhart, Gustave G. Lopez, Milagros Lopez Mendilaharsu, Andrew D. Lowther, Paolo Luschi, Molly E. Lutcavage, Warrick S. Lyon, Bruno C.L. Macena, Alice I. Mackay, Christine A. Madden Hof, Mark Mallory, Jeffrey Mangel, Michael Manning, Kate L. Mansfield, David March, Adolfo Marco, Marianne Marcoux, David Acuña-Marrero, Helene Marsh, Heather Marshall, Bruce R Mate, Jaime D. McAllister, Rebecca McGuire, Jane McKenzie, Lachlan McLeay, Clive R. McMahon, Michelle Modest, John Morris, Mônica M.C. Muelbert, Naveen Namboothri, Wallace Nichols, Malcolm Nicoll, Bradley M. Norman, Ken Norris, Erik Olsen, Steffen Oppel, Sabine Orlowski, Anthony Pagano, Brad Page, Vitor Paiva, Daniel M. Palacios, Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Denise M. Parker, Charitha Pattiaratchi, Hoyt Peckham, Cesar R. Peñaherrera-Palma, Julian G. Pepperell, Richard Phillips, Simon J. Pierce, Stephen K. Pikesley, Nicolas Pilcher, Patrick Pinet, Matt Pinkerton, Enrico Pirotta, Virginie Plot, Abby Powell, Kevin D. Powers, Clare E.M. Prebble, Tiana J. Preston, Rui Prieto, Laura Prosdocimi, John Quinn, Lina Maria Quintero, Thierry Raclot, Iván Ramirez, Dení Ramírez-Macías, Jaime Ramos, Andrew J. Read, Rolf Ream, Alan F. Rees, Richard Reina, Ryan R. Reisinger, Ohiana Revuelta, Samantha D. Reynolds, Anthony Richardson, Leena Riekkola, Federico G. Riet-Sapriza, David P. Robinson, Patrick Robinson, Carlos F.D. Rocha, Tracey L. Rogers, Christoph A. Rohner, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Monica Ross, David R. L. Rowat, Kevin Ruhomaun, Paul M. Sagar, Melita A. Samoilys, Sonia Sanchez, Alejandra G. Sandoval-Lugo, Erik A.P. dos Santos, António M. Santos, Kylie L. Scales, Gail Schofield, Jayson M. Semmens, Edy Setyawan, Scott Shaffer, Kartik Shanker, Marcus Sheaves, George L. Shillinger, Mahmood S. Shivji, Abraham Sianipar, Janet R.D. Silk, Mónica A. Silva, Jolene Sim, Samantha J. Simpson, Gregory Skomal, David J. Slip, Malcolm J. Smale, German A. Soler, Marc Soria, Lara L. Sousa, Emily J. Southall, Jean-Claude Stahl, Kilian M. Stehfest, Jeremy T. Sterling, John D. Stevens, Guy M.W. Stevens, Joshua D. Stewart, Adhith Swaminathan, Akinori Takahashi, Vikash Tatayah, Jean-Baptiste Thiebot, Paul Thompson, Simon R. Thorrold, Michele Thums, Jesus Tomas, Leigh G. Torres, Alison Towner, Philip N. Trathan, John P. Tyminski, Ricardo Sagarminaga van Buiten, Robert van Dam, Frederic Vandeperre, Nuria Varo-Cruz, Jeremy J. Vaudo, Michel Vely, Stella Villegas-Amtmann, Cecile Vincent, David Waayers, Sarah Wanless, Yuuki Y. Watanabe, Cortney A. Watt, Sam B. Weber, Nicola Weber, Michael Weise, Linda Welch, Randall Wells, Jonathan M. Werry, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Timothy D. White, Scott D. Whiting, Andrea U. Whiting, Annelise Wiebkin, Barbara Wienecke, Natalie Wildermann, David N. Wiley, Alexis Will, Sean Williams, Marie Windstein, Saskia Wischnewski, Matthew Witt, Freya C. Womersley, Andrew G. Wood, Lucy J. Wright, José C. Xavier, Takashi Yamamoto, David Yurkowski, Patricia M. Zarate, Alan Zavala-Norzagaray, Alexandre N. Zerbini, Daniel Costa, Robert Harcourt, Mark Meekan, Graeme Hays, David Sims, Carlos Duarte, Víctor M. Eguíluz
By
Alaska Science Center

Variation in energetic balance among free-ranging polar bears during the spring mating and foraging season Variation in energetic balance among free-ranging polar bears during the spring mating and foraging season

Large carnivores are capable of consuming substantial biomasses that can significantly alter their body mass and condition over short periods. Here we examine the intra-seasonal variation of polar bear (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) body mass, energy intake, and condition in the spring from two subpopulations. We evaluate the biological and temporal factors that may have driven changes...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Stephen Atkinson, Louise Archer
By
Alaska Science Center

A benchmark for computational analysis of animal behavior, using animal-borne tags A benchmark for computational analysis of animal behavior, using animal-borne tags

Background Animal-borne sensors (‘bio-loggers’) can record a suite of kinematic and environmental data, which are used to elucidate animal ecophysiology and improve conservation efforts. Machine learning techniques are used for interpreting the large amounts of data recorded by bio-loggers, but there exists no common framework for comparing the different machine learning techniques in...
Authors
Benjamin Hoffmann, Maddie Cusimano, Vittorio Baglione, Daniela Canestrari, Damien Chevallier, Dominic DeSantis, Lorene Jeantet, Monique Ladds, Takuya Maekawa, Mata-Silva Vicente, Victor Moreno-Gonzalez, Anthony Pagano, Eva Trapote, Outi Vainio, Antti Vehkaoja, Ken Yoda, Katherine Zacarian, Ari Friedlaender
By
Alaska Science Center

Ursids evolved dietary diversity without major alterations in metabolic rates Ursids evolved dietary diversity without major alterations in metabolic rates

The diets of the eight species of ursids range from carnivory (e.g., polar bears, Ursus maritimus) to insectivory (e.g., sloth bears, Melursus ursinus), omnivory (e.g., brown bears, U. arctos), and herbivory (e.g., giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Dietary energy availability ranges from the high-fat, highly digestible, calorically dense diet of polar bears (~ 6.4 kcal digestible...
Authors
Anthony Carnahan, Anthony Pagano, Amelia Christian, Karyn Rode, Charles Robbins
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period

Declining Arctic sea ice is increasing polar bear land use. Polar bears on land are thought to minimize activity to conserve energy. Here, we measure the daily energy expenditure (DEE), diet, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of 20 different polar bears on land over 19–23 days from August to September (2019–2022) in Manitoba, Canada. Polar bears on land exhibited a 5.2...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Karyn Rode, Nicholas Lunn, David McGeachy, Stephen Atkinson, Sean Farley, Joy A. Erlenbach, Charles Robbins
By
Alaska Science Center

Lactation performance in polar bears is associated with fasting time and energetic state Lactation performance in polar bears is associated with fasting time and energetic state

Females must continually make resource allocation decisions because of fitness trade-offs between self-maintenance and investment in current offspring, yet factors underpinning these decisions are unresolved. Polar bears Ursus maritimus face considerable allocation challenges when seasonal sea-ice melt precludes access to prey for several months, and females rely solely on energy stores...
Authors
Louise Archer, Stephen Atkinson, Anthony Pagano, Stephanie Penk, Peter Molnar
By
Alaska Science Center

Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic

Updating predictions of the response of high-profile, at-risk species to climate change and anthropogenic stressors is vital for informing effective conservation action. Here, we review two prior generations of Bayesian network probability models predicting changes in global polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population status, and provide a contemporary update based on recent research...
Authors
Bruce Marcot, Todd Atwood, David Douglas, Jeffrey Bromaghin, Anthony Pagano, Steven Amstrup
By
Alaska Science Center

A body composition model with multiple storage compartments for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) A body composition model with multiple storage compartments for polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Climate warming is rapidly altering Arctic ecosystems. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) need sea ice as a platform from which to hunt seals, but increased sea-ice loss is lengthening periods when bears are without access to primary hunting habitat. During periods of food scarcity, survival depends on the energy that a bear has stored in body reserves, termed storage energy, making this a...
Authors
Stephanie Penk, Pranav Sadana, Louise Archer, Anthony Pagano, Marc Cattet, Nicholas Lunn, Gregory Thiemann, Peter Molnar
By
Alaska Science Center

Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040 Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040

Monitoring changes in the distribution of large carnivores is important for managing human safety and supporting conservation. Throughout much of their range, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using terrestrial habitats in response to Arctic sea ice decline. Their increased presence in coastal areas has implications for bear-human conflict, inter-species interactions, and...
Authors
Karyn Rode, David Douglas, Todd Atwood, George Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Anthony Pagano
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Long-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment Long-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment

In the Arctic, warming air and ocean temperatures have resulted in substantial changes to sea ice, which is primary habitat for polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Reductions in extent, duration, and thickness have altered sea ice dynamics, which influences the ability of polar bears to reliably access marine mammal prey. Because nutritional condition is closely linked to population vital...
Authors
Todd Atwood, Karyn Rode, David Douglas, Kristin Simac, Anthony Pagano, Jeffrey Bromaghin
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Pagano, A.M., A.M. Carnahan, C.T. Robbins, M.A. Owen, T. Batson, N. Wagner, A.
Cutting, N. Nicassio-Hiskey, A. Hash, and T.M. Williams. 2018. Energetic costs of
locomotion in bears: Is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical? Journal of
Experimental Biology vol. 221 no. 12 p.1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.175372
Pagano, A.M., G.M. Durner, K.D. Rode, T.C. Atwood, S.N. Atkinson, E. Peacock, D.P.
Costa, M.A. Owen, and T.M. Williams. 2018. High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an
Arctic apex predator, the polar bear. Science vol. 359 no. 6375 p. 568-572. doi: 10.1126/science.aan8677
Pagano, A. M., Rode, K. D., Cutting, A., Owen, M. A., Jensen, S., Ware, J. V., Robbins, C. M., Durner, G. M., Atwood, T. C., Obbard, M. E., Middel, K. R., Thiemann, G. W., and Williams, T. M., 2017, Using tri-axial accelerometers to identify wild polar bear behaviors: Endangered Species Research vol. 32 p. 19-33. doi: 10.3354/esr00779
Ware, J. V., Rode, K. D., Bromaghin, J. F., Douglas, D. C. Wilson, R. R., Regehr, E. V., Amstrup, S. C., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Olson, J. W., Robbins, C. T. and Jansen, H. T., 2017, Habitat degradation affects the summer activity of polar bears: Oecologia vol. 184 no. 1 p. 87-89. doi: 10.1007/s00442-017-3839-y
Wiig, Ø., Born, E. W., Laidre, K. L., Dietz, R., Jensen, M. V., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Regehr, E. V., St. Martin, M., Atkinson, S. N., and Dyck, M., 2017, Performance and retention of lightweight satellite radio tags applied to the ears of polar bears (Ursus maritimus): Animal Biotelemetry vol. 5 no. 9. doi: 10.1186/s40317-017-0124-0
Sequeira, A.M.M., J.P. Rodríguez, V.M. Eguíluz, R. Harcourt, M. Hindell, D.W. Sims, C.M. Duarte, D.P. Costa, J. Fernández-Gracia, L.C. Ferreira, G.C. Hays, M.R. Heupel, M.G. Meekan, A. Aven, F. Bailleul, A.M.M. Baylis, M.L. Berumen, C.D. Braun, J. Burns, M.J. Caley, R. Campbell, R.H. Carmichael, E. Clua, L.D. Einoder, A. Friedlaender, M.E. Goebel, S.D. Goldsworthy, C. Guinet, J. Gunn, D. Hamer, N. Hammerschlag, M. Hammill, L.A. Hückstädt, N.E. Humphries, M.-A. Lea, A. Lowther, A. Mackay, E. McHuron, J. McKenzie, L. McLeay, C.R. McMahon, K. Mengersen, M.M.C. Muelbert, A. M. Pagano, B. Page, N. Queiroz, P.W. Robinson, S.A. Shaffer, M. Shivji, G.B. Skomal, S.R. Thorrold, S. Villegas-Amtmann, M. Weise, R. Wells, B. Wetherbee, A. Wiebkin, B. Wienecke, and M. Thums. 2018. Convergence of marine megafauna movement patterns in coastal and open oceans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences vol. 115 no. 12 p.3072-3077. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1716137115
Pagano, A.M., K.D. Rode, and S.N. Atkinson. 2017. Evaluating methods to assess the body condition of female polar bears. Ursus vol. 28 no. 2 p.171-181. doi: 10.2192/URSU-D-16-00029.1
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Detection probabilities for ground-based breeding waterfowl surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 3 p. 392-398. doi: 10.2193/2007-411
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Estimating detection probabilities of waterfowl broods from ground-based surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 5 p. 686-694. doi: 10.2193/2007-524
Arnold, T. W., Pagano, A. M., Devries, J. H., Emery, R. B., Howerter, D. W., and Joynt, B. L., 2008, Social indices of breeding productivity in parkland mallards: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 72 no. 1 p. 224-230. doi: 10.2193/2007-035

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Polar Bears Film Their Own Sea Ice World

Polar Bears Film Their Own Sea Ice World

In June of 2014, the USGS released the first-ever polar bear point-of-view footage, offering a never-seen-before perspective from the top Arctic...

Read Article
Through the Eyes of a Polar Bear

Through the Eyes of a Polar Bear

The first "point of view" video from a polar bear on Arctic sea ice has just become available courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. 

Read Article

Science and Products

Polar bear mother and two cubs on the Beaufort Sea ice.

Polar Bear Research

Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) are one of 4 marine mammal species managed by the U.S. Department of Interior. The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat. Our studies, ongoing since 1985, are focused on population dynamics, health and energetics...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Polar Bear Research

Polar Bear Research

Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) are one of 4 marine mammal species managed by the U.S. Department of Interior. The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat. Our studies, ongoing since 1985, are focused on population dynamics, health and energetics...
Learn More
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

Tracking Data for Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Available here are tracking data of Polar Bear. Research focuses on the two polar bear subpopulation’s whose range includes Alaska: the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation that ranges between the North Slope of Alaska and western Canada and the Chukchi Sea or Alaska-Chukotka subpopulation that ranges between the northwest coast of Alaska and eastern Russia.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Tracking Data for Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Tracking Data for Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Available here are tracking data of Polar Bear. Research focuses on the two polar bear subpopulation’s whose range includes Alaska: the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation that ranges between the North Slope of Alaska and western Canada and the Chukchi Sea or Alaska-Chukotka subpopulation that ranges between the northwest coast of Alaska and eastern Russia.
Learn More
Polar bear still hunting at a seal breathing hole

Health and Energetics of Polar Bears

The warming climate has the potential to drive significant changes in the health and energetics of Arctic fauna, particularly those dependent on sea ice habitats like polar bears. An animal’s health and energetic state reflects the interaction between its behavioral choices and the environment. Because of this, measuring changes in health and energetics has potential for revealing important...
By
Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Health and Energetics of Polar Bears

Health and Energetics of Polar Bears

The warming climate has the potential to drive significant changes in the health and energetics of Arctic fauna, particularly those dependent on sea ice habitats like polar bears. An animal’s health and energetic state reflects the interaction between its behavioral choices and the environment. Because of this, measuring changes in health and energetics has potential for revealing important...
Learn More
A polar bear walks across rubble ice in the Alaska portion of the southern Beaufort Sea

Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears

Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea...
By
Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears

Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears

Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea...
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Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Stable Isotope, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, 2023 Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Stable Isotope, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, 2023

This data release includes 4 child items with data regarding metabolic rate, body composition, diet, behavior, blood chemistry, stable isotope, tri-axial accelerometer, and GPS locations of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) on the North Slope of Alaska, 2023. Child Item 1: "GPS Location Data from Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) Instrumented on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, 2023" Child Item 2:...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center

Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022 Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Diet, Behavior, Blood Chemistry, Tri-axial Accelerometer, and GPS Locations of Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022

This data release includes 4 child items with data regarding metabolic rate, body composition, diet, behavior, blood chemistry, stable isotope, tri-axial accelerometer, and GPS locations of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) on land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022. Child Item 1: "GPS Location Data from Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) Instrumented on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019...
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017 Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017

This dataset consists of one table with estimated locations of adult female polar bears during July-November 1985-2017, used for quantifying changes in summer land use over time. Locations were estimated with a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model fit to satellite tracking from radio-collared adult female polar bears. All bears included in this data set were captured and
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016 Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016

This dataset consists of one table with predicted locations of adult female polar bears. Locations were derived by a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model using satellite tracking radio-collared adult female polar bears captured and instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016.
By
Alaska Science Center

Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

These data are serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels for polar bears captured in the southern Beaufort Sea 1983-2016 and the Chukchi Sea 1987-1993 and 2008-2017. The dataset includes relevant information about the bears that were captured including the latitude and longitude of their capture location, capture date, age class and sex, the age and number of cubs accompanying an adult...
By
Alaska Science Center

Satellite Location and Tri-Axial Accelerometer Data from Adult Female Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014 Satellite Location and Tri-Axial Accelerometer Data from Adult Female Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014

This data package includes 2 child items with location and activity data from adult female polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014. Child Item 1: "GPS and Argos Location Data from Adult Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014" Child Item 2: "Tri-axial Accelerometer and Conductivity Sensor Data from Adult Female Polar...
By
Alaska Science Center

Locations Collected 1985-2015 from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) with Dependent Young Instrumented in the Southern Beaufort Sea with Satellite-linked Transmitters by the USGS Locations Collected 1985-2015 from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) with Dependent Young Instrumented in the Southern Beaufort Sea with Satellite-linked Transmitters by the USGS

This dataset contains a select subset of Argos and GPS locations collected by satellite data collection systems from collared adult female polar bears that were instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea between 1985-2015.
By
Alaska Science Center

Bioelectrical Impedance, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Morphological Measures of Southern Beaufort Sea Female Polar Bears, Spring 2014-2016 Bioelectrical Impedance, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Morphological Measures of Southern Beaufort Sea Female Polar Bears, Spring 2014-2016

This dataset contains data from the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis and deuterium injection as methods to estimate the body composition of female polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. Data are provided on bioelectrical impedance resistance measures, the enrichment level of deuterium oxide that was injected and measured in blood samples, and morphological...
By
Alaska Science Center

Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Foraging Success, Behavior, and GPS Locations of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), Beaufort Sea, Spring, 2014-2016 and Resting Energetics of an Adult Female Polar Bear Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Foraging Success, Behavior, and GPS Locations of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), Beaufort Sea, Spring, 2014-2016 and Resting Energetics of an Adult Female Polar Bear

This data package includes 5 child items with data from 9 female polar bears without dependent young in the southern Beaufort Sea in April 2014-2016. Child Item 1: "Doubly-labeled Water, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Blood Biochemistry Data from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea by the USGS in April 2014-2016" Child Item 2: "Resting Metabolic Rates of...
By
Alaska Science Center

Energetic Costs of Locomotion in Bears Energetic Costs of Locomotion in Bears

This dataset contains measures of tri-axial acceleration, oxygen consumption, and kinematic measures from two captive polar bears and seven captive grizzly bears resting and walking in a metabolic chamber.
By
Alaska Science Center

Measures of Oxygen Consumption and Stroke Frequency of a Captive Subadult Female Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) while Resting in Water and Swimming and Diving in a Metabolic Water Flume, Oregon Zoo, 2017 Measures of Oxygen Consumption and Stroke Frequency of a Captive Subadult Female Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) while Resting in Water and Swimming and Diving in a Metabolic Water Flume, Oregon Zoo, 2017

This dataset contains measures of oxygen consumption and stroke frequency from 1 captive subadult female polar bear (166.5 kg) resting in the water (n = 7 sessions) and swimming and diving in a metabolic swim flume with water circulated at approximately 0.6 km/hr during swimming and diving measurements (n = 6 sessions) in September 2017.
By
Alaska Science Center

Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011 Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011

These are data collected from Wildlife Computers ear tag platform transmitter terminals (PTT) deployed on polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea during the months of March, April, August, September, and October between 2009 and 2011. Purpose is to examine the performance and retention of ear tag satellite transmitters attached to polar bears.
By
Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear. Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.
POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022

This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Adult male polar bear equipped with a black square GPS-enabled video camera collar on land laying on grass.
Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar
Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar
Adult male polar bear equipped with a black square GPS-enabled video camera collar on land laying on grass.

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Adult male polar bear equipped with a black square GPS-enabled video camera collar on land laying on grass.

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar

An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Three polar bears in water. left side is bears face close, center is bears face looking at you, right is part of bears' nose.
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean
Three polar bears in water. left side is bears face close, center is bears face looking at you, right is part of bears' nose.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Three polar bears in water. left side is bears face close, center is bears face looking at you, right is part of bears' nose.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.
Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean
Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Two polar bears in water. Top center you see the underside chin of bear and below you see full face and neck of bear.

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the ocean

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Looking at underneath of polar bear face as he walks down a beach taken with a GPS-enabled video camera attached to collar.
Adult male polar bear walking along the coast
Adult male polar bear walking along the coast
Looking at underneath of polar bear face as he walks down a beach taken with a GPS-enabled video camera attached to collar.

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Looking at underneath of polar bear face as he walks down a beach taken with a GPS-enabled video camera attached to collar.

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Adult male polar bear walking along the coast

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

By
Alaska Science Center
Faces of three polar bears. Left side is bear close up of face, center is underneath of chin, right is whole head and leg.
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land
Faces of three polar bears. Left side is bear close up of face, center is underneath of chin, right is whole head and leg.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Faces of three polar bears. Left side is bear close up of face, center is underneath of chin, right is whole head and leg.

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land. 

By
Alaska Science Center
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo Polar Bear
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
Image: San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear

Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.

By
Alaska Science Center, Communications and Publishing
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The effects of carnivory and herbivory on the energy balance of Arctic grizzly bears The effects of carnivory and herbivory on the energy balance of Arctic grizzly bears

Omnivores often face tradeoffs between selecting for spatially dispersed energy-dense vertebrate prey versus densely distributed herbivorous resources that have limited energetic value per unit intake. Arctic grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) are large omnivores within a resource-limited ecosystem that are known to exhibit smaller body masses and occur at lower densities than grizzly bears in...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Karyn Rode, Kerry Nicholson, William Leacock, Craig Stricker, Charles Robbins
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center

Reply to the discussion by Pilfold “Polar bear mass change confirms hyperphagia follows ringed seal whelping” Reply to the discussion by Pilfold “Polar bear mass change confirms hyperphagia follows ringed seal whelping”

The spring is a critical period when polar bears (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) are thought to have peak access to seals and acquire the majority of their annual energy requirements during a period of hyperphagia. Pagano et al. (Pagano A.M., Atkinson S.N., and Archer L.C. 2025. Arctic Science.11:1-14. doi:10.1139/as-2024-0051) examined the intra-seasonal changes in body mass of 31 polar...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Stephen Atkinson, Louise Archer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center

Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets

The recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals but no clear pathway for how zero loss of important biodiversity areas and halting human-induced extinction of threatened species will be achieved. We assembled a multi-taxa tracking dataset (11 million geopositions from 15,845 tracked individuals across 121 species) to provide a global assessment of...
Authors
Ana Sequeira, Jorge Rodriguez, Sarah A. Marley, Hannah Calich, Mirjam van der Mheen, Michelle VanCompernolle, Lucy M. Arrowsmith, Lauren R. Peel, Nuno Queiroz, Marisa Vedor, Ivo da Costa, Gonzalo Mucientes, Ana Couto, Nicolas E. Humphries, Sara Abalo-Morla, Francisco J. Abascal, Debra L. Abercrombie, Katya Abrantes, F. Alberto Abreu-Grobois, André S. Afonso, Pedro Afonso, Heidi Ahonen, Susanne Åkesson, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Russel Andrews, Frederic Angelier, Marina Antonopoulou, Javier A. Arata, Gonzalo Araujo, Randall Arauz, Jose Arcos, Igor Arregui, Haritz Arrizabalaga, Marie Auger-Methe, Steffen Bach, Fred Bailleul, Robin W. Baird, George H. Balazs, Susan G. Barco, Adam Barnett, Warren Baverstock, Alastair Baylis, Annalea Beard, Juan Bécares, Eduardo Belda, Ian Bell, Ashley Bennison, Scott R. Benson, Diego Bernal, Michael L. Berumen, Sandra Bessudo, Natalia P.A. Bezerra, Antonin V. Blaison, Gabriela S. Blanco, Barbara Block, Mark Bolton, Mark E. Bond, Ramón Bonfil, Camrin D. Braun, Annette Broderick, Michael de L. Brooke, Annabelle M.L. Brooks, Edward J. Brooks, Ignacio Bruno, Jennifer Burns, Michael Byrne, Steven E. Campana, Hamish A. Campbell, Richard A. Campbell, Aaron Carlisle, Ruth Carmichael, Gemma Carroll, Paolo Casale, Filipe Ceia, Demian D. Chapman, Taylor K. Chapple, Jean-Benoit Charrassin, Andre Chiaradia, John Chisholm, Christopher R. Clarke, Thomas A. Clay, Christophe Cleguer, Elizabeth Clingham, Eric E. G. Clua, Jesse E.M. Cochran, Rochelle Constantine, Robert W. Cooper, Estelle Crochelet, Michelle Cronin, Eduardo Cuevas, Kayla P. DaCosta, Laurent Dagorn, Ryan Daly, Randall Davis, Nico P. J. de Bruyn, Carlos Delgado-Trejo, Thomas Dellinger, Solène Derville, Stella Diamant, Andrew DiMatteo, Kara L. Dodge, Philip Doherty, Michael C. Double, Alistair D. M. Dove, Thomas K Doyle, Michael J. Drew, Lindsay L. Dubbs, Clinton A.J. Duffy, Peter H. Dutton, Ewan W.J. Edwards, Luke D. Einoder, Mark V. Erdmann, Eduardo Espinoza, Nicole Esteban, Ana Fagundes, Chris Feare, Steven Ferguson, Luciana Ferreira, Francesco Ferretti, John Filmalter, Brittany Finucci, G. Chris Fischer, Richard J. Fitzpatrick, Jorge Fontes, Angela Formia, Sabrina Fossette, Malcolm P. Francis, Ari S. Friedlaender, Miguel Furtado, Austin Gallagher, Claire Garrigue, Enrico Gennari, H. Gilchrist, Brendan Godley, Simon Goldsworthy, Matthew Gollock, Victoria González Carman, W. Grecian, Jonathan R. Green, Christophe Guinet, Johan Gustafson, Tristan L. Guttridge, Hector M. Guzman, Derek Hamer, Keith Hamer, Neil Hammerschlag, Mike O. Hammill, Luke Harman, Emma Harrison, Catherine E. Hart, A. Errol Harris, Gordon Hastie, Fabio H.V. Hazin, Matt Heard, Alex R. Hearn, Mads Heide-Jorgensen, Leeann Henry, Robert Henry, Vicente Guzman Hernandez, Arturo E. Herrera, Mark Hindell, John C. Holdsworth, Bonnie J. Holmes, Lucy A. Howey, Edgar Mauricio Hoyos Padilla, Luis A. Huckstadt, Robert E. Hueter, Paulo H. Lara, Nigel Hussey, Charlie Huveneers, Kevin Hyland, Dylan T. Irion, David M.P. Jacoby, Audrey Jaeger, Mohammed Y. Jaidah, Mark Jessopp, Oliver J.D. Jewell, Ryan Johnson, Carl Jones, Ian D. Jonsen, Lance K.B. Jordan, Salvador J. Jorgensen, Akiko Kato, James T. Ketchum, Alexander S. Kitaysky, A. Klimley, Alison A. Kock, Pieter Koen, Felipe Ladino Archila, Fernanda O. Lana, Jude V. Lane, Matthieu Le Corre, Mary-Anne Lea, Eliza H.K. Leat, Olivia A. Lee, J. Jacob Levenson, César P. Ley-Quiñonez, Fiona Llewellyn, Gwen Lockhart, Gustave G. Lopez, Milagros Lopez Mendilaharsu, Andrew D. Lowther, Paolo Luschi, Molly E. Lutcavage, Warrick S. Lyon, Bruno C.L. Macena, Alice I. Mackay, Christine A. Madden Hof, Mark Mallory, Jeffrey Mangel, Michael Manning, Kate L. Mansfield, David March, Adolfo Marco, Marianne Marcoux, David Acuña-Marrero, Helene Marsh, Heather Marshall, Bruce R Mate, Jaime D. McAllister, Rebecca McGuire, Jane McKenzie, Lachlan McLeay, Clive R. McMahon, Michelle Modest, John Morris, Mônica M.C. Muelbert, Naveen Namboothri, Wallace Nichols, Malcolm Nicoll, Bradley M. Norman, Ken Norris, Erik Olsen, Steffen Oppel, Sabine Orlowski, Anthony Pagano, Brad Page, Vitor Paiva, Daniel M. Palacios, Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Denise M. Parker, Charitha Pattiaratchi, Hoyt Peckham, Cesar R. Peñaherrera-Palma, Julian G. Pepperell, Richard Phillips, Simon J. Pierce, Stephen K. Pikesley, Nicolas Pilcher, Patrick Pinet, Matt Pinkerton, Enrico Pirotta, Virginie Plot, Abby Powell, Kevin D. Powers, Clare E.M. Prebble, Tiana J. Preston, Rui Prieto, Laura Prosdocimi, John Quinn, Lina Maria Quintero, Thierry Raclot, Iván Ramirez, Dení Ramírez-Macías, Jaime Ramos, Andrew J. Read, Rolf Ream, Alan F. Rees, Richard Reina, Ryan R. Reisinger, Ohiana Revuelta, Samantha D. Reynolds, Anthony Richardson, Leena Riekkola, Federico G. Riet-Sapriza, David P. Robinson, Patrick Robinson, Carlos F.D. Rocha, Tracey L. Rogers, Christoph A. Rohner, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Monica Ross, David R. L. Rowat, Kevin Ruhomaun, Paul M. Sagar, Melita A. Samoilys, Sonia Sanchez, Alejandra G. Sandoval-Lugo, Erik A.P. dos Santos, António M. Santos, Kylie L. Scales, Gail Schofield, Jayson M. Semmens, Edy Setyawan, Scott Shaffer, Kartik Shanker, Marcus Sheaves, George L. Shillinger, Mahmood S. Shivji, Abraham Sianipar, Janet R.D. Silk, Mónica A. Silva, Jolene Sim, Samantha J. Simpson, Gregory Skomal, David J. Slip, Malcolm J. Smale, German A. Soler, Marc Soria, Lara L. Sousa, Emily J. Southall, Jean-Claude Stahl, Kilian M. Stehfest, Jeremy T. Sterling, John D. Stevens, Guy M.W. Stevens, Joshua D. Stewart, Adhith Swaminathan, Akinori Takahashi, Vikash Tatayah, Jean-Baptiste Thiebot, Paul Thompson, Simon R. Thorrold, Michele Thums, Jesus Tomas, Leigh G. Torres, Alison Towner, Philip N. Trathan, John P. Tyminski, Ricardo Sagarminaga van Buiten, Robert van Dam, Frederic Vandeperre, Nuria Varo-Cruz, Jeremy J. Vaudo, Michel Vely, Stella Villegas-Amtmann, Cecile Vincent, David Waayers, Sarah Wanless, Yuuki Y. Watanabe, Cortney A. Watt, Sam B. Weber, Nicola Weber, Michael Weise, Linda Welch, Randall Wells, Jonathan M. Werry, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Timothy D. White, Scott D. Whiting, Andrea U. Whiting, Annelise Wiebkin, Barbara Wienecke, Natalie Wildermann, David N. Wiley, Alexis Will, Sean Williams, Marie Windstein, Saskia Wischnewski, Matthew Witt, Freya C. Womersley, Andrew G. Wood, Lucy J. Wright, José C. Xavier, Takashi Yamamoto, David Yurkowski, Patricia M. Zarate, Alan Zavala-Norzagaray, Alexandre N. Zerbini, Daniel Costa, Robert Harcourt, Mark Meekan, Graeme Hays, David Sims, Carlos Duarte, Víctor M. Eguíluz
By
Alaska Science Center

Variation in energetic balance among free-ranging polar bears during the spring mating and foraging season Variation in energetic balance among free-ranging polar bears during the spring mating and foraging season

Large carnivores are capable of consuming substantial biomasses that can significantly alter their body mass and condition over short periods. Here we examine the intra-seasonal variation of polar bear (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) body mass, energy intake, and condition in the spring from two subpopulations. We evaluate the biological and temporal factors that may have driven changes...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Stephen Atkinson, Louise Archer
By
Alaska Science Center

A benchmark for computational analysis of animal behavior, using animal-borne tags A benchmark for computational analysis of animal behavior, using animal-borne tags

Background Animal-borne sensors (‘bio-loggers’) can record a suite of kinematic and environmental data, which are used to elucidate animal ecophysiology and improve conservation efforts. Machine learning techniques are used for interpreting the large amounts of data recorded by bio-loggers, but there exists no common framework for comparing the different machine learning techniques in...
Authors
Benjamin Hoffmann, Maddie Cusimano, Vittorio Baglione, Daniela Canestrari, Damien Chevallier, Dominic DeSantis, Lorene Jeantet, Monique Ladds, Takuya Maekawa, Mata-Silva Vicente, Victor Moreno-Gonzalez, Anthony Pagano, Eva Trapote, Outi Vainio, Antti Vehkaoja, Ken Yoda, Katherine Zacarian, Ari Friedlaender
By
Alaska Science Center

Ursids evolved dietary diversity without major alterations in metabolic rates Ursids evolved dietary diversity without major alterations in metabolic rates

The diets of the eight species of ursids range from carnivory (e.g., polar bears, Ursus maritimus) to insectivory (e.g., sloth bears, Melursus ursinus), omnivory (e.g., brown bears, U. arctos), and herbivory (e.g., giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Dietary energy availability ranges from the high-fat, highly digestible, calorically dense diet of polar bears (~ 6.4 kcal digestible...
Authors
Anthony Carnahan, Anthony Pagano, Amelia Christian, Karyn Rode, Charles Robbins
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period

Declining Arctic sea ice is increasing polar bear land use. Polar bears on land are thought to minimize activity to conserve energy. Here, we measure the daily energy expenditure (DEE), diet, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of 20 different polar bears on land over 19–23 days from August to September (2019–2022) in Manitoba, Canada. Polar bears on land exhibited a 5.2...
Authors
Anthony Pagano, Karyn Rode, Nicholas Lunn, David McGeachy, Stephen Atkinson, Sean Farley, Joy A. Erlenbach, Charles Robbins
By
Alaska Science Center

Lactation performance in polar bears is associated with fasting time and energetic state Lactation performance in polar bears is associated with fasting time and energetic state

Females must continually make resource allocation decisions because of fitness trade-offs between self-maintenance and investment in current offspring, yet factors underpinning these decisions are unresolved. Polar bears Ursus maritimus face considerable allocation challenges when seasonal sea-ice melt precludes access to prey for several months, and females rely solely on energy stores...
Authors
Louise Archer, Stephen Atkinson, Anthony Pagano, Stephanie Penk, Peter Molnar
By
Alaska Science Center

Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic

Updating predictions of the response of high-profile, at-risk species to climate change and anthropogenic stressors is vital for informing effective conservation action. Here, we review two prior generations of Bayesian network probability models predicting changes in global polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population status, and provide a contemporary update based on recent research...
Authors
Bruce Marcot, Todd Atwood, David Douglas, Jeffrey Bromaghin, Anthony Pagano, Steven Amstrup
By
Alaska Science Center

A body composition model with multiple storage compartments for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) A body composition model with multiple storage compartments for polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Climate warming is rapidly altering Arctic ecosystems. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) need sea ice as a platform from which to hunt seals, but increased sea-ice loss is lengthening periods when bears are without access to primary hunting habitat. During periods of food scarcity, survival depends on the energy that a bear has stored in body reserves, termed storage energy, making this a...
Authors
Stephanie Penk, Pranav Sadana, Louise Archer, Anthony Pagano, Marc Cattet, Nicholas Lunn, Gregory Thiemann, Peter Molnar
By
Alaska Science Center

Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040 Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040

Monitoring changes in the distribution of large carnivores is important for managing human safety and supporting conservation. Throughout much of their range, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using terrestrial habitats in response to Arctic sea ice decline. Their increased presence in coastal areas has implications for bear-human conflict, inter-species interactions, and...
Authors
Karyn Rode, David Douglas, Todd Atwood, George Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Anthony Pagano
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Long-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment Long-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment

In the Arctic, warming air and ocean temperatures have resulted in substantial changes to sea ice, which is primary habitat for polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Reductions in extent, duration, and thickness have altered sea ice dynamics, which influences the ability of polar bears to reliably access marine mammal prey. Because nutritional condition is closely linked to population vital...
Authors
Todd Atwood, Karyn Rode, David Douglas, Kristin Simac, Anthony Pagano, Jeffrey Bromaghin
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Pagano, A.M., A.M. Carnahan, C.T. Robbins, M.A. Owen, T. Batson, N. Wagner, A.
Cutting, N. Nicassio-Hiskey, A. Hash, and T.M. Williams. 2018. Energetic costs of
locomotion in bears: Is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical? Journal of
Experimental Biology vol. 221 no. 12 p.1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.175372
Pagano, A.M., G.M. Durner, K.D. Rode, T.C. Atwood, S.N. Atkinson, E. Peacock, D.P.
Costa, M.A. Owen, and T.M. Williams. 2018. High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an
Arctic apex predator, the polar bear. Science vol. 359 no. 6375 p. 568-572. doi: 10.1126/science.aan8677
Pagano, A. M., Rode, K. D., Cutting, A., Owen, M. A., Jensen, S., Ware, J. V., Robbins, C. M., Durner, G. M., Atwood, T. C., Obbard, M. E., Middel, K. R., Thiemann, G. W., and Williams, T. M., 2017, Using tri-axial accelerometers to identify wild polar bear behaviors: Endangered Species Research vol. 32 p. 19-33. doi: 10.3354/esr00779
Ware, J. V., Rode, K. D., Bromaghin, J. F., Douglas, D. C. Wilson, R. R., Regehr, E. V., Amstrup, S. C., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Olson, J. W., Robbins, C. T. and Jansen, H. T., 2017, Habitat degradation affects the summer activity of polar bears: Oecologia vol. 184 no. 1 p. 87-89. doi: 10.1007/s00442-017-3839-y
Wiig, Ø., Born, E. W., Laidre, K. L., Dietz, R., Jensen, M. V., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Regehr, E. V., St. Martin, M., Atkinson, S. N., and Dyck, M., 2017, Performance and retention of lightweight satellite radio tags applied to the ears of polar bears (Ursus maritimus): Animal Biotelemetry vol. 5 no. 9. doi: 10.1186/s40317-017-0124-0
Sequeira, A.M.M., J.P. Rodríguez, V.M. Eguíluz, R. Harcourt, M. Hindell, D.W. Sims, C.M. Duarte, D.P. Costa, J. Fernández-Gracia, L.C. Ferreira, G.C. Hays, M.R. Heupel, M.G. Meekan, A. Aven, F. Bailleul, A.M.M. Baylis, M.L. Berumen, C.D. Braun, J. Burns, M.J. Caley, R. Campbell, R.H. Carmichael, E. Clua, L.D. Einoder, A. Friedlaender, M.E. Goebel, S.D. Goldsworthy, C. Guinet, J. Gunn, D. Hamer, N. Hammerschlag, M. Hammill, L.A. Hückstädt, N.E. Humphries, M.-A. Lea, A. Lowther, A. Mackay, E. McHuron, J. McKenzie, L. McLeay, C.R. McMahon, K. Mengersen, M.M.C. Muelbert, A. M. Pagano, B. Page, N. Queiroz, P.W. Robinson, S.A. Shaffer, M. Shivji, G.B. Skomal, S.R. Thorrold, S. Villegas-Amtmann, M. Weise, R. Wells, B. Wetherbee, A. Wiebkin, B. Wienecke, and M. Thums. 2018. Convergence of marine megafauna movement patterns in coastal and open oceans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences vol. 115 no. 12 p.3072-3077. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1716137115
Pagano, A.M., K.D. Rode, and S.N. Atkinson. 2017. Evaluating methods to assess the body condition of female polar bears. Ursus vol. 28 no. 2 p.171-181. doi: 10.2192/URSU-D-16-00029.1
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Detection probabilities for ground-based breeding waterfowl surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 3 p. 392-398. doi: 10.2193/2007-411
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Estimating detection probabilities of waterfowl broods from ground-based surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 5 p. 686-694. doi: 10.2193/2007-524
Arnold, T. W., Pagano, A. M., Devries, J. H., Emery, R. B., Howerter, D. W., and Joynt, B. L., 2008, Social indices of breeding productivity in parkland mallards: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 72 no. 1 p. 224-230. doi: 10.2193/2007-035

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Polar Bears Film Their Own Sea Ice World

Polar Bears Film Their Own Sea Ice World

In June of 2014, the USGS released the first-ever polar bear point-of-view footage, offering a never-seen-before perspective from the top Arctic...

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Through the Eyes of a Polar Bear

Through the Eyes of a Polar Bear

The first "point of view" video from a polar bear on Arctic sea ice has just become available courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. 

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