Modern Condition and Population Dynamics of the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos meridionalis) in the Western Caucasus

An assessment of the current state of the brown bear population (Ursus arctos meridionalis Midd. 1851) within the western Caucasus has been carried out. By the end of 2010, the range of bears is shown to have shrunk almost to the borders of Sochi National Park, the Caucasus Nature Reserve, and nearby environs. Over the last ten years, about 20 000 hectares of bear habitats were lost due to resort construction, including fall and den stations on the Aibga and Psekhako ridges, which are the most important for the species. The bear migration routes in the Mzymta River valley and the upper Pshekha area were disturbed. Food waste dumps within the bear habitats (in tourist camps and construction areas) have caused the development of synanthropic individuals. The population numbers have decreased approximately by half since the mid-1990s, but are now stable at the level of about 300 individuals. The age and sex ratios indicate a normal population structure, which is characteristic of moderately exploited bear populations. In 2013-2018, the share of females with yearling cubs in the total number of bears ranged within 9.6-10.4%, the proportion of bear yearling cubs being 21%. Among the females with yearling cubs, 55% had one bear cub, while 35% had two cubs. On average, the number of cubs per female is 1.6 +/- 0.1. The bear migration routes from the northern and southern foothills toward the highlands of the Caucasus Nature Reserve have mostly been preserved. In general, the bears have adapted to the conditions that have changed over the past ten years, and one of the adaptation mechanisms appears to be the significance of the Nature Reserve territory in the spatial structure of the bear population.