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George Durner, Ph.D. (Former Employee)

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Female and two cubs polar bears on the sea ice

Polar Bear Maternal Denning

Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October/November, give birth to cubs in December/January, and exit dens in March/April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. Over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of...
By
Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
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Polar Bear Maternal Denning

Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October/November, give birth to cubs in December/January, and exit dens in March/April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. Over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of...
Learn More
link
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
link

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
link
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
link

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...
Learn More

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

his 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 instrumente
By
Alaska Science Center

Data Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture

This dataset is in five tables with data from ecophysiological studies of free-ranging polar bears of the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. They were equipped with high-resolution activity sensors, body temperature loggers, and GPS satellite-telemetry collars, to compare physiological state and activity of bears during natural behavior with that experienced by bears during helicopter recapture
By
Alaska Science Center

Mapping data of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den habitat, Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska

These are geospatial data that characterize the distribution of polar bear denning habitat on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the coastal plain of northern Alaska between the Colville River and the Alaska/Canada border.
By
Alaska Science Center

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

Cortisol Concentration Data from Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Hair Collected in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, Alaska, 1983-1989, 2004-2006, and 2008-2016

This data release contains one table which includes the concentration of cortisol from polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair and morphometric data from some of the captured bears. We assayed concentration of cortisol in hair (HCC) from polar bears captured in the Alaska Beaufort, Bering and Chukchi seas during 1983-1989 and 2004-2016. Fields include the individual polar bear identifier (bearID), the d
By
Alaska Science Center

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 female, and
By
Alaska Science Center

Multistate capture and search data from the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population in Alaska, 2001-2016

This data release contains two tables of information on polar bear distributions in the southern Beaufort Sea during spring, from 2001 to 2016. One table provides location (classified into 5 broad regions) of individual bears during the spring. The other table presents the aerial search effort by year and area.
By
Alaska Science Center

Catalogue of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Maternal Den Locations in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and Nearby Areas, 1910-2018

This data reports on the approximate locations and methods of discovery of 530 polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal dens observed in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas and neighboring areas between 1910 and 2018, and archived partly by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, and partly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, in Anchorage, Alaska. Data fields includ
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

These data are from 5 adult female polar bears instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea, April to October 2014. The dataset is comprised of two data packages: 1) contains GPS and Argos locations collected by satellite-linked GPS receivers mounted on external collars, and 2) contains archival logger data including measures of tri-axial acceleration and conductivity. These data were collected to ga
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

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. These data were collected to gain insights into movements of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. These data were collected from adult female polar bears who had dependent young at
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear Distribution and Habitat Resource Selection Data, Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985-2016

These data from satellite radio-collared adult female polar bears captured in the southern Beaufort Sea, 1985-2016 were used for testing the regional, seasonal and decadal efficacy of retrospective polar bear resource selection functions (RSF) developed for the Arctic basin and its peripheral seas (see Durner et al. 2009). The data includes the following: 1) a csv file of locations used to build a
By
Alaska Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010

These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Polar Bear Research Program as part of long-term on the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population.
By
Alaska Science Center
Filter Total Items: 71

Potential impacts of an autumn oil spill on polar bears summering on land in northern Alaska

Demand for oil and natural gas continues to increase, leading to the development of remote regions where it is riskier to operate. Many of these regions have had limited development, so understanding potential impacts to wildlife could inform management decisions. In 2017, the United States passed legislation allowing oil and gas development in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Ref
Authors
Ryan H. Wilson, Deborah French-Mckay, Craig J Perham, Susannah P. Woodruff, Todd C. Atwood, George M. Durner
By
Alaska Science Center

The post-emergence period for denning polar bears: Phenology and influence on cub survival

Among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), only parturient females den for extended periods, emerging from maternal dens in spring after having substantially depleted their energy reserves during a fast that can exceed 8 months. Although den emergence coincides with a period of increasing prey availability, polar bears typically do not depart immediately to hunt, but instead remain at the den for up to
Authors
Erik Andersen, Ryan R. Wilson, Karyn D. Rode, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, David Gustine
By
Alaska Science Center

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 polar bear h
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood, George M. Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Anthony M. Pagano
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics

Sea ice loss is fundamentally altering the Arctic marine environment. Yet there is a paucity of data on the adaptability of food webs to ecosystem change, including predator-prey interactions. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are an important subsistence resource for Indigenous people and an apex predator that relies entirely on the under-ice food web to meet their energy needs. Here, we assessed whe
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Brian D. Taras, Craig A. Stricker, Todd C. Atwood, Nicole P Boucher, George M. Durner, Andrew E. Derocher, Evan S. Richardson, Seth Cherry, Lori T. Quakenbush, Lara Horstmann, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center

Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska

Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) subpopulation have commonly created maternal dens on sea ice in the past, maternal dens on land have become increasingly prevalent as sea ice declines. This trend creates conditions for increased human–bear interactions associated with local communities and industrial activity. Maternal denning is a vulnerable period in the
Authors
Vijay P. Patil, George M. Durner, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Evaluating the efficacy of aerial infrared surveys to detect artificial polar bear dens

The need to balance economic development with impacts to Arctic wildlife has been a prominent subject since petroleum exploration began on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, in the late 1950s. The North Slope region includes polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation, which has experienced a long-term decline in abundance. Pregnant polar bears dig dens in snow drifts dur
Authors
Susannah P. Woodruff, Justin J Blank, Sheyna S Wisdom, Ryan H. Wilson, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, Craig J Perham, Christina HM Pohl
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

The role of satellite telemetry data in 21st century conservation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Satellite telemetry (ST) has played a critical role in the management and conservation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) over the last 50 years. ST data provide biological information relevant to subpopulation delineation, movements, habitat use, maternal denning, health, human-bear interactions, and accurate estimates of vital rates and abundance. Given that polar bears are distributed at low dens
Authors
Kristin L. Laidre, George M. Durner, Nicholas J Lunn, Eric V. Regehr, Todd C. Atwood, Karyn D. Rode, Jon Aars, Heli Routti, Øystein Wiig, Markus Dyck, Evan S. Richardson, Stephen D Atkinson, Stanislav Belikov, Ian Stirling
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Effects of sea ice decline and summer land use on polar bear home range size in the Beaufort Sea

Animals responding to habitat loss and fragmentation may increase their home ranges to offset declines in localized resources or they may decrease their home ranges and switch to alternative resources. In many regions of the Arctic, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) exhibit some of the largest home ranges of any quadrupedal mammal. Polar bears are presently experiencing a rapid decline in Arctic sea i
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Iñupiaq knowledge of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea, Alaska

Successful wildlife management depends upon coordination and consultation with local communities. However, much of the research used to inform management is often derived solely from data collected directly from wildlife. Indigenous people living in the Arctic have a close connection to their environment, which provides unique opportunities to observe their environment and the ecology of Arctic sp
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Hannah Voorhees, Henry P. Huntington, George M. Durner
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Survival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016

The Arctic Ocean is undergoing rapid transformation toward a seasonally ice-free ecosystem. As ice-adapted apex predators, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are challenged to cope with ongoing habitat degradation and changes in their prey base driven by food-web response to climate warming. Knowledge of polar bear response to environmental change is necessary to understand ecosystem dynamics and infor
Authors
Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, David C. Douglas, George M. Durner, Kristin S. Simac, Todd C. Atwood
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

This chapter comprises the following sections: names, taxonomy, subspecies and distribution, descriptive notes, habitat, movements and home range, activity patterns, feeding ecology, reproduction and growth, behavior, parasites and diseases, status in the wild, and status in captivity.
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Martyn E. Obbard, Stanislav Belikov, Andrew E. Derocher, George M. Durner, Gregory Thiemann, Morten Tryland, Robert J. Letcher, Randi Meyersen, Christian Sonne, Bjorn Jenssen, Rune Dietz, Dag Vongraven
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

How Is climate change affecting polar bears and giant pandas?

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are the primary cause of climate change and an estimated increase of 3.7 to 4.8 °C is predicted by the year 2100 if emissions continue at current levels. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) provide an interesting comparison study of the impact of climate change on bear species. While polar bears and giant pandas are arguabl
Authors
Melissa Songer, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Qiongyu Huang, Renqiang Li, Nicholas Pilfold, Ming Xu, George M. Durner
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, K. S. Simac, and G. W. York. 2011. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings: Bear Taxanomic Group Workshop on Ursids in Captivity. American Zoological Society Annual Meeting. Detroit, MI, USA.
Durner, G. M., D. C. Douglas, R. M. Nielson, S. C. Amstrup, and T. L. McDonald. 2007. Predicting the future distribution of Polar Bear Habitat in the polar basin from resource selection functions applied to 21st century general circulation model projections of sea ice. USGS Administrative Report, 61 p. doi:10.3133/70174076
Bergen, S., G. M. Durner, D. C. Douglas, and S. C. Amstrup. 2007. Predicting movements of female polar bears between summer sea ice foraging habitats and terrestrial denning habitats of Alaska in the 21st century: Proposed methodology and pilot assessment. USGS Administrative Report, 24 p.
Durner, G. M., S. C. Amstrup, G. York, E. V. Regehr, K. S. Simac, T. S. Smith, S. T. Partridge, T. W. Bentzen, K. S. Amstrup, and D. C. Douglas. 2005. Report on research progress in Alaska. Proceedings: 15th Annual meeting of joint commissioners and technical advisors of the Inuvialiut Game Council and North Slope Borough. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, E. V. Regehr, G. W. York, K. S. Simac, T. S. Smith, S. T. Partridge, and D. C. Douglas. 2004. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. February 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, G. W. York, K. S. Simac, T. S. Smith, S. T. Partridge, and D. C. Douglas. 2003. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. February 2003, Edmonton, Alberta. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee.
Durner, G. M., S. C. Amstrup, R. Neilson, and T. L. McDonald. 2003. The use of sea ice habitat by female polar bears in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 60-61 in Proceedings of the Ninth MMS Information Transfer Meeting. MMS OCS Study 2003-042, 118 p.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, K. S. Simac, and G. W. York. 2002. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 109-125 in edited by N. J. Lunn, S. Schliebe and E. W. Born, (eds.), Occasional Paper IUCN Specialists Survey Commission 26. Proceedings: 13th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group, 23-28 June 2001. Nuuk, Greenland.
Durner, G. M., S. C. Amstrup, A. S. Fischbach, G. S. York, and K. S. Simac. 2002. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee, 9-10 Feb 2002. Iqualuit, Canada.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, K. S. Simac, and G. W. York. 2002. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings of the Bear Taxanomic Group Workshop on Ursids in Captivity. Annual Meeting of the American Zoological Society, Detroit, MI, April 27 - 29, 2001.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, and T. L. McDonald. 2002. Volume III, Appendix J 1, Liberty Development and Production Plan. Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Minerals Management Service, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region OCS EIS/EA MMS 2001-001.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1999. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 131-139 in A. E. Derocher, (ed.), Occasional Paper IUCN Specialists Survey Commission 19. Proceedings: IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1999. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1998. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 47-52 in Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1998. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 131-139 in A. E. Derocher, G. W. Garner, N. J. Lunn, and O. Wiig, (eds.). International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland, Switzerland. IUCN/SSC Occasional Paper 19. 159 pp. Proceedings: 12th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group Oslo, Norway.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1998. Identification of polar bear den habitat in northern Alaska. Pages 141-145 in A. E. Derocher, G. W. Garner, N. J. Lunn, and O. Wiig, (eds.). International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland, Switzerland. IUCN/SSC Occasional Paper 19. 159 pp. Proceedings: 12th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group Oslo, Norway.
Durner, G. M. and J. E. Gates. 1993. Spatial Ecology of Black Rat Snakes on Remington Farms, Maryland. Journal of Wildlife Management 57(4):812-826.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1992. Temporal and geographic variation of maternity denning among polar bears of the Beaufort Sea. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pages 198-206 in T. R. Mc Cabe, B. Griffith, N. E. Walsh, and D. D. Young, (eds.). Terrestrial Research: 1002 area - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Interim Report, 1988-1990, 432 p.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1992. Polar bear maternity denning on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pages 189-197 in T. R. Mc Cabe, B. Griffith, N. E. Walsh, and D. D. Young, (eds.). Terrestrial Research: 1002 area - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Interim Report, 1988-1990, 432 p.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1992. Responses of maternal polar bears to human activities in Alaska. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pages 198-206 in T. R. Mc Cabe, B. Griffith, N. E. Walsh, and D. D. Young, (eds.). Terrestrial Research: 1002 area - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Interim Report, 1988-1990, 432 p.

**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.

Increased Sea Ice Drift Puts Polar Bears on Faster Moving Treadmill

Increased Sea Ice Drift Puts Polar Bears on Faster Moving Treadmill

A new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Wyoming found that increased westward ice drift in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas...

Read Article

Science and Products

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Female and two cubs polar bears on the sea ice

Polar Bear Maternal Denning

Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October/November, give birth to cubs in December/January, and exit dens in March/April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. Over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of...
By
Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
link

Polar Bear Maternal Denning

Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October/November, give birth to cubs in December/January, and exit dens in March/April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. Over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of...
Learn More
link
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
link

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
link
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
link

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...
Learn More

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

his 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 instrumente
By
Alaska Science Center

Data Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture

This dataset is in five tables with data from ecophysiological studies of free-ranging polar bears of the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. They were equipped with high-resolution activity sensors, body temperature loggers, and GPS satellite-telemetry collars, to compare physiological state and activity of bears during natural behavior with that experienced by bears during helicopter recapture
By
Alaska Science Center

Mapping data of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den habitat, Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska

These are geospatial data that characterize the distribution of polar bear denning habitat on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the coastal plain of northern Alaska between the Colville River and the Alaska/Canada border.
By
Alaska Science Center

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

Cortisol Concentration Data from Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Hair Collected in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, Alaska, 1983-1989, 2004-2006, and 2008-2016

This data release contains one table which includes the concentration of cortisol from polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair and morphometric data from some of the captured bears. We assayed concentration of cortisol in hair (HCC) from polar bears captured in the Alaska Beaufort, Bering and Chukchi seas during 1983-1989 and 2004-2016. Fields include the individual polar bear identifier (bearID), the d
By
Alaska Science Center

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 female, and
By
Alaska Science Center

Multistate capture and search data from the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population in Alaska, 2001-2016

This data release contains two tables of information on polar bear distributions in the southern Beaufort Sea during spring, from 2001 to 2016. One table provides location (classified into 5 broad regions) of individual bears during the spring. The other table presents the aerial search effort by year and area.
By
Alaska Science Center

Catalogue of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Maternal Den Locations in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and Nearby Areas, 1910-2018

This data reports on the approximate locations and methods of discovery of 530 polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal dens observed in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas and neighboring areas between 1910 and 2018, and archived partly by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, and partly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, in Anchorage, Alaska. Data fields includ
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

These data are from 5 adult female polar bears instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea, April to October 2014. The dataset is comprised of two data packages: 1) contains GPS and Argos locations collected by satellite-linked GPS receivers mounted on external collars, and 2) contains archival logger data including measures of tri-axial acceleration and conductivity. These data were collected to ga
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

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. These data were collected to gain insights into movements of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. These data were collected from adult female polar bears who had dependent young at
By
Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear Distribution and Habitat Resource Selection Data, Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985-2016

These data from satellite radio-collared adult female polar bears captured in the southern Beaufort Sea, 1985-2016 were used for testing the regional, seasonal and decadal efficacy of retrospective polar bear resource selection functions (RSF) developed for the Arctic basin and its peripheral seas (see Durner et al. 2009). The data includes the following: 1) a csv file of locations used to build a
By
Alaska Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010

These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Polar Bear Research Program as part of long-term on the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population.
By
Alaska Science Center
Filter Total Items: 71

Potential impacts of an autumn oil spill on polar bears summering on land in northern Alaska

Demand for oil and natural gas continues to increase, leading to the development of remote regions where it is riskier to operate. Many of these regions have had limited development, so understanding potential impacts to wildlife could inform management decisions. In 2017, the United States passed legislation allowing oil and gas development in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Ref
Authors
Ryan H. Wilson, Deborah French-Mckay, Craig J Perham, Susannah P. Woodruff, Todd C. Atwood, George M. Durner
By
Alaska Science Center

The post-emergence period for denning polar bears: Phenology and influence on cub survival

Among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), only parturient females den for extended periods, emerging from maternal dens in spring after having substantially depleted their energy reserves during a fast that can exceed 8 months. Although den emergence coincides with a period of increasing prey availability, polar bears typically do not depart immediately to hunt, but instead remain at the den for up to
Authors
Erik Andersen, Ryan R. Wilson, Karyn D. Rode, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, David Gustine
By
Alaska Science Center

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 polar bear h
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood, George M. Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Anthony M. Pagano
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics

Sea ice loss is fundamentally altering the Arctic marine environment. Yet there is a paucity of data on the adaptability of food webs to ecosystem change, including predator-prey interactions. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are an important subsistence resource for Indigenous people and an apex predator that relies entirely on the under-ice food web to meet their energy needs. Here, we assessed whe
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Brian D. Taras, Craig A. Stricker, Todd C. Atwood, Nicole P Boucher, George M. Durner, Andrew E. Derocher, Evan S. Richardson, Seth Cherry, Lori T. Quakenbush, Lara Horstmann, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center

Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska

Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) subpopulation have commonly created maternal dens on sea ice in the past, maternal dens on land have become increasingly prevalent as sea ice declines. This trend creates conditions for increased human–bear interactions associated with local communities and industrial activity. Maternal denning is a vulnerable period in the
Authors
Vijay P. Patil, George M. Durner, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Evaluating the efficacy of aerial infrared surveys to detect artificial polar bear dens

The need to balance economic development with impacts to Arctic wildlife has been a prominent subject since petroleum exploration began on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, in the late 1950s. The North Slope region includes polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation, which has experienced a long-term decline in abundance. Pregnant polar bears dig dens in snow drifts dur
Authors
Susannah P. Woodruff, Justin J Blank, Sheyna S Wisdom, Ryan H. Wilson, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, Craig J Perham, Christina HM Pohl
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

The role of satellite telemetry data in 21st century conservation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Satellite telemetry (ST) has played a critical role in the management and conservation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) over the last 50 years. ST data provide biological information relevant to subpopulation delineation, movements, habitat use, maternal denning, health, human-bear interactions, and accurate estimates of vital rates and abundance. Given that polar bears are distributed at low dens
Authors
Kristin L. Laidre, George M. Durner, Nicholas J Lunn, Eric V. Regehr, Todd C. Atwood, Karyn D. Rode, Jon Aars, Heli Routti, Øystein Wiig, Markus Dyck, Evan S. Richardson, Stephen D Atkinson, Stanislav Belikov, Ian Stirling
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Effects of sea ice decline and summer land use on polar bear home range size in the Beaufort Sea

Animals responding to habitat loss and fragmentation may increase their home ranges to offset declines in localized resources or they may decrease their home ranges and switch to alternative resources. In many regions of the Arctic, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) exhibit some of the largest home ranges of any quadrupedal mammal. Polar bears are presently experiencing a rapid decline in Arctic sea i
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Iñupiaq knowledge of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea, Alaska

Successful wildlife management depends upon coordination and consultation with local communities. However, much of the research used to inform management is often derived solely from data collected directly from wildlife. Indigenous people living in the Arctic have a close connection to their environment, which provides unique opportunities to observe their environment and the ecology of Arctic sp
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Hannah Voorhees, Henry P. Huntington, George M. Durner
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Survival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016

The Arctic Ocean is undergoing rapid transformation toward a seasonally ice-free ecosystem. As ice-adapted apex predators, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are challenged to cope with ongoing habitat degradation and changes in their prey base driven by food-web response to climate warming. Knowledge of polar bear response to environmental change is necessary to understand ecosystem dynamics and infor
Authors
Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, David C. Douglas, George M. Durner, Kristin S. Simac, Todd C. Atwood
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

This chapter comprises the following sections: names, taxonomy, subspecies and distribution, descriptive notes, habitat, movements and home range, activity patterns, feeding ecology, reproduction and growth, behavior, parasites and diseases, status in the wild, and status in captivity.
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Martyn E. Obbard, Stanislav Belikov, Andrew E. Derocher, George M. Durner, Gregory Thiemann, Morten Tryland, Robert J. Letcher, Randi Meyersen, Christian Sonne, Bjorn Jenssen, Rune Dietz, Dag Vongraven
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

How Is climate change affecting polar bears and giant pandas?

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are the primary cause of climate change and an estimated increase of 3.7 to 4.8 °C is predicted by the year 2100 if emissions continue at current levels. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) provide an interesting comparison study of the impact of climate change on bear species. While polar bears and giant pandas are arguabl
Authors
Melissa Songer, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Qiongyu Huang, Renqiang Li, Nicholas Pilfold, Ming Xu, George M. Durner
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, K. S. Simac, and G. W. York. 2011. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings: Bear Taxanomic Group Workshop on Ursids in Captivity. American Zoological Society Annual Meeting. Detroit, MI, USA.
Durner, G. M., D. C. Douglas, R. M. Nielson, S. C. Amstrup, and T. L. McDonald. 2007. Predicting the future distribution of Polar Bear Habitat in the polar basin from resource selection functions applied to 21st century general circulation model projections of sea ice. USGS Administrative Report, 61 p. doi:10.3133/70174076
Bergen, S., G. M. Durner, D. C. Douglas, and S. C. Amstrup. 2007. Predicting movements of female polar bears between summer sea ice foraging habitats and terrestrial denning habitats of Alaska in the 21st century: Proposed methodology and pilot assessment. USGS Administrative Report, 24 p.
Durner, G. M., S. C. Amstrup, G. York, E. V. Regehr, K. S. Simac, T. S. Smith, S. T. Partridge, T. W. Bentzen, K. S. Amstrup, and D. C. Douglas. 2005. Report on research progress in Alaska. Proceedings: 15th Annual meeting of joint commissioners and technical advisors of the Inuvialiut Game Council and North Slope Borough. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, E. V. Regehr, G. W. York, K. S. Simac, T. S. Smith, S. T. Partridge, and D. C. Douglas. 2004. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. February 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, G. W. York, K. S. Simac, T. S. Smith, S. T. Partridge, and D. C. Douglas. 2003. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. February 2003, Edmonton, Alberta. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee.
Durner, G. M., S. C. Amstrup, R. Neilson, and T. L. McDonald. 2003. The use of sea ice habitat by female polar bears in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 60-61 in Proceedings of the Ninth MMS Information Transfer Meeting. MMS OCS Study 2003-042, 118 p.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, K. S. Simac, and G. W. York. 2002. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 109-125 in edited by N. J. Lunn, S. Schliebe and E. W. Born, (eds.), Occasional Paper IUCN Specialists Survey Commission 26. Proceedings: 13th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group, 23-28 June 2001. Nuuk, Greenland.
Durner, G. M., S. C. Amstrup, A. S. Fischbach, G. S. York, and K. S. Simac. 2002. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee, 9-10 Feb 2002. Iqualuit, Canada.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, A. S. Fischbach, K. S. Simac, and G. W. York. 2002. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings of the Bear Taxanomic Group Workshop on Ursids in Captivity. Annual Meeting of the American Zoological Society, Detroit, MI, April 27 - 29, 2001.
Amstrup, S. C., G. M. Durner, and T. L. McDonald. 2002. Volume III, Appendix J 1, Liberty Development and Production Plan. Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Minerals Management Service, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region OCS EIS/EA MMS 2001-001.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1999. Polar Bear Research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 131-139 in A. E. Derocher, (ed.), Occasional Paper IUCN Specialists Survey Commission 19. Proceedings: IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1999. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1998. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 47-52 in Proceedings: Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1998. Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea. Pages 131-139 in A. E. Derocher, G. W. Garner, N. J. Lunn, and O. Wiig, (eds.). International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland, Switzerland. IUCN/SSC Occasional Paper 19. 159 pp. Proceedings: 12th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group Oslo, Norway.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1998. Identification of polar bear den habitat in northern Alaska. Pages 141-145 in A. E. Derocher, G. W. Garner, N. J. Lunn, and O. Wiig, (eds.). International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland, Switzerland. IUCN/SSC Occasional Paper 19. 159 pp. Proceedings: 12th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group Oslo, Norway.
Durner, G. M. and J. E. Gates. 1993. Spatial Ecology of Black Rat Snakes on Remington Farms, Maryland. Journal of Wildlife Management 57(4):812-826.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1992. Temporal and geographic variation of maternity denning among polar bears of the Beaufort Sea. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pages 198-206 in T. R. Mc Cabe, B. Griffith, N. E. Walsh, and D. D. Young, (eds.). Terrestrial Research: 1002 area - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Interim Report, 1988-1990, 432 p.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1992. Polar bear maternity denning on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pages 189-197 in T. R. Mc Cabe, B. Griffith, N. E. Walsh, and D. D. Young, (eds.). Terrestrial Research: 1002 area - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Interim Report, 1988-1990, 432 p.
Amstrup, S. C. and G. M. Durner. 1992. Responses of maternal polar bears to human activities in Alaska. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pages 198-206 in T. R. Mc Cabe, B. Griffith, N. E. Walsh, and D. D. Young, (eds.). Terrestrial Research: 1002 area - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Interim Report, 1988-1990, 432 p.

**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.

Increased Sea Ice Drift Puts Polar Bears on Faster Moving Treadmill

Increased Sea Ice Drift Puts Polar Bears on Faster Moving Treadmill

A new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Wyoming found that increased westward ice drift in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas...

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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government

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