Background:

In 2002 wildfires impacted over 400,000 acres of forest in the White Mountains destroying homes and threatening communities in the area.  Since then the United States Forest Service have been thinning forests surrounding those communities in order to reduce the potential risk of fires in the future.  In conjunction with those forest thinning treatments the Arizona Game and Fish department and the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest have cooperated on a research study to determine the potential impacts on the black bears of the area. 

Location:

The black bear study area includes both treated and untreated forests around the communities of Greer, Nutrioso and Alpine, Arizona.  Efforts have focused on the habitat at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) surrounding those communities.

Approach:

We are collecting genetic samples from cougars and black bears within each of the focal mountain ranges to estimate population levels and genetic diversity to assess relatedness and connectivity among populations.  Although no new capture efforts are underway for cougars or black bears, we are monitoring movements of marked cougars and black bears equipped with satellite tracking collars to assess habitat use, interchange rates, and identify travel corridors among the “sky Island” mountain ranges of southeastern Arizona.

Benefits: 
By using this multi-tiered approach we will gain a more thorough understanding of the impact of Human activity and development on movement of large carnivores, impact on carnivore population structure, and importance of mitigating strategies for enhancing the existence of Large predators in Arizona.

For more information contact: 
Kirby Bristow, Arizona Game and Fish Department
5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85023
E-mail: kbristow@azgfd.gov

Michelle Crabb, Arizona Game and Fish Department
5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85023
E-mail: mcrabb@azgfd.gov