After spending a lot of time working with data from the BearWatch program of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s (Wildlife Research Institute: Ely, Minnesota), a researcher in the USA decided to recreate and improve upon the behavioural data collected while walking with bears.  She created a CyberTracker sequence that collected nearly identical data to what had been collected by the BearWatch program. 

In April and August of 2002 the sequence was field tested in New England and found to be able to collect much more data per hour than was collected with the BearWatch program.  Recordings were compared with data collected on a bear of the same status (sow with cubs) and at the same time of year - so activities would be similar.  (The variable not controlled for is the user; different criteria may have been used to determine where one activity stopped and the next started.)

Next year’s plan is to use CyberTracker to collect research data, with the current “CyberBear” sequence being modified to suit the graduate thesis topic on black bears.  CyberTracker will be used to gather data while walking with habituated wild bears.  Examples of data include where the bears are eating, what they are eating, where they are defecating, contents of the scat and seed dispersal distances.

This research will be done through the Wildlife Research Institute.  For general information about their bear research, visit the website at www.bearstudy.org

Blackheart nursing her three cubs while behavioural data was being collected on her using CyberTracker (April 2002).                                                             Photo © Wildlife Research Institute