Wildlife conflicts between humans and Brown Bears, Ursus arctos, in the Central Zagros, Iran

Ali Turk Qashqaeia, Mahmoud Karamib & Vahid Etemadb a Department of Natural Resources Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Energy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran b Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Introduction

Human-bear conflict (HBC) takes place in two different forms: first, the damage caused by bears feeding on cultivated fruits, crops, beehives, and bear attacks on livestock and humans; second, bear persecution and illegal hunting as retaliation by humans (Baruch-Mordo, 2007; WSPA, 2009). Some studies have been carried out on the occurrence of the Brown Bear, Ursus arctos (Linnaeus, 1758), in Iran (e.g., Gutleb & Ziaie, 1999; Khaleghizadeh & Khormali, 2005; Nezami, Mojtahedi, & Farhadinia, 2011), but there is little available information on the impact of human bear conflicts on the species’ distri-bution pattern and abundance. The Brown Bear is listed as a protected species by the Department of Environment in Iran, and is classified as of “least concern” in the IUCN Red List (McLellan, Servheen, & Huber, 2008). The status of the species is critical in many areas, mainly because of habitat fragmentation. We do not know the impact of humans, especially in isolated populations. This study was carried out in order to assess the relationship between humans and Brown Bears in the Central Zagros and to clarify conservation needs for the species in the area.

Material and Methods

Study area. This study was carried out in the Central Zagros in 2010 and 2011. The region over-laps parts of the provinces of Kohgiluye and Boyer-Ahmad, Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari, Esfahan, and Fars. The Brown Bear occurs in seven protected areas in the region: Tang-e-Bostanak Protected Area, Dena Biosphere Reserve including Dena Protected Area and Dena National Park, Eastern Dena Protected Area, Sabzkuh Protected Area, Helen Protected Area and Margoon Protected Area. The main tree species in the Central Zagros are Quercus brantii, Pistacia atlantica and Fraxinus excelsior (Darvishsefat, 2006). Carnivorous species include Eurasian Otter, Lutra lutra, Grey Wolf, Canis lupus, Persian Leopard, Panthera pardus, Brown Bear, Ursus arctos and Striped Hyaena, Hyaena hyaena.