Scientists of the "Kuril" reserve conduct an annual estimate of population of brown bears that live in the area. By November, experts have examined the banks of water reservoirs where salmon is spawning.
At this time, humpback salmon and Siberian salmon enter the rivers and streams of Kunashir Island for spawning.
Researchers recorded the traces of bears that gather in areas filled with fish.
The employees’ aim is to identify each bear. This can be done by measuring the width of the front paw print or by using photo traps set up along the banks of the rivers.
Scientists also resort to the method of direct observation of animals in the places of their feeding.
The reserve reports that the number of brown bears in the «Kuril» has been quite stable over the recent years and amounts to 70-80 individuals.
According to the researchers, this year they managed to identify an unusual bear family - a brown bear with a snow-white bear cub was observed at one of the spawning grounds.
A relatively large proportion of animals with light coat color - a feature of the island population of brown bears of the South Kuril Islands, explained the representatives of the reserve. Such bears are found on Kunashir and Iturup. Perhaps, this color is due to inbreeding (the result of closely related cross-breading in an isolated population).
According to the observations of the reserve in Kunashir, the "silvers" make up at least 10 percent of the bears living in this area.
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