Tag Archives: den

Rare Photos Showcase Snow Leopard Cubs in Their Den

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Two of the five snow leopard cubs recently photographed in Mongolia

SLCF-Mongolia/Snow Leopard Trust

A team of researchers explored two snow leopard dens in the Tost Mountains of Mongolia, studying and capturing images of five cubs, which provided a rare chance to gather data on this endangered species.

Before their expedition in June and July, researchers had not been able to access snow leopard nests globally since 2019. Örjan Johansson of Snow Leopard Trust noted, “The burrows are situated in tight cracks and caves. We only get one opportunity. If the mother returns before we locate the burrow, we have to stop our search. Going back more than once is too intrusive.”

Johansson and Bren Nyam, a local field ranger, pinpointed the burrow’s approximate location by tracking GPS collars that had been previously attached to 20 adult female snow leopards.

The burrow where the cubs were found was located by tracking the mother’s whereabouts

SLCF-Mongolia_snow Leopard Trust

Johansson explained, “The range of female snow leopards’ homes in Mongolia’s South Gobi region typically spans about 130 square kilometers, which is approximately 2.5 times the area of Manhattan. Without the GPS collar, we would not have discovered their burrows.” However, even with the collars, the team had to search an area as vast as 60,000 square meters to pinpoint the exact location.

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is categorized as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with an estimated 3,920 to 6,390 individuals remaining in the wild. These cats inhabit alpine terrains across Central Asia, spanning 2 million square kilometers across 12 countries, including China, India, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. Their populations face threats from habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts arising from livestock predation.

Johansson noted, “To effectively model and predict population trajectories of multiple species, we must grasp essential factors such as fertility, mortality, and the dynamics of animals entering and leaving an area.” He collaborated with the Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation on this project.

“Visiting the dens is crucial as it is the only means to gather information on average litter sizes and cub survival rates during their first five to six months. Before this age, cubs typically remain secluded with their mothers. Accessing the burrow allows researchers to collect invaluable data that would otherwise be unattainable. Such information is essential for enhancing understanding of snow leopard ecology and informing conservation strategies for a sustainable future.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Rare footage of a mother polar bear and her cubs emerging from their den shed light on their elusive behavior

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It's published today International Polar Bear Daynew research will answer questions by showing the first combination of satellite tracking colors and remote camera traps Polar bear (Ursus Maritimus)) Denning is notoriously difficult to study as polar bear moms create dens under the snow in remote areas.

Shooter et al. It reveals the first detailed view of polar bear cults coming out of their burrows. Image credits: Jon Aars/Norwegian Polar Institute.

Turnip survival supports species survival, and denning is the most vulnerable period of life. Less than 50% of Cubs can become adults.

As industry expands in the Arctic, this study highlights the importance of uninterrupted Denning regions to protect polar bear populations.

“Polar bear mothers have increased difficulty replicating due to climate-based changes and could face additional challenges associated with expanding human footprints in the Arctic,” said Dr. Louise Archer, a researcher at the University of Toronto Scarborough University.

“We are excited to introduce new tools to monitor bears during this vulnerable period and gain insight into action across the Arctic.

“Every den we monitor has its own story, and every data point adds to this critical understanding of time and supports a more effective conservation strategy.”

In their study, the authors monitored the behavior of the polar bears in Den Emans held in Svalbad, Norway.

Female polar bears were equipped with GPS satellite collars recording their location, temperature and activity.

Researchers used these collar data to find burrows and traveled through the mountains of Svalbad to deploy time-lapse camera traps at 13 densites over six years.

They found that camera traps provide fine-scale insight into the behavior of the maternal Den, and that satellite collars are accurate and useful for monitoring bears in more remote locations for longer periods of time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcf0fyq_e_i

The family appeared in Svalbarbad around March 9th and appeared to abandon the burrow earlier than previously recorded in this group, and further monitoring was needed to establish whether this was a continuing trend.

Changing the timing of denning can put a risk to the cubs' survival as they will less time to develop before they can proceed further towards the sea ice.

In some cases, the bears appeared from the burrow in less than a minute before returning inside, while other appearances lasted for several hours.

In terms of departing den forever, camera footage showed that polar bears remained near the burrow to stay on average for 12 days.

However, this ranged between 2-31 days and was very different among polar bear families.

Some moms switched dens – they were observed leaving their original dens and moving their families to new dens.

Cubs are heavily dependent on their mothers and rarely venture out in their dens alone. The Cubs were only seen in 5% without mothers. In Svalbad, they rely on their mothers for up to 2.5 years.

“This study gives us a total glimpse into one of the most vulnerable and important periods of polar bear life and provides insights that will help guide our collective conservation efforts.”

“Combining innovative technology and long-term research gives us a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by polar bear moms and cubs in the rapidly changing Arctic.”

“Conserving Denning's habitat is essential for population health, and this study provides invaluable insights that can help guide conservation management.”

“There were few studies that included observational data at polar bear burrow sites, and therefore this study contributes significantly to our knowledge of denning ecology,” said Dr. John Arles, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Polar Institute.

Furthermore, data from the satellite radio collar was available to all mothers, and observational data allowed us to communicate how recorded activity and temperature changes corresponded to behavior. ”

study It will be displayed in Journal of Wildlife Management.

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Louise C. Archer et al. Monitoring the phenology and behavior of polar bears during the emergence of den using cameras and satellite telemetry. Journal of Wildlife ManagementPublished online on February 26th, 2025. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.22725

Source: www.sci.news