Photo Credit:Tim Mlodozyniec
About the Project
Wildlife researchers at NRRI and partners at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, have recently started a long-term research project focused on how carnivores - bears, bobcats, and coyotes - are adapting to live in Duluth, Hermantown, Proctor and the surrounding areas. The main goal of the research project is to better understand how carnivores live in the built environment and how that proximity can lead to human-carnivore conflicts. The research findings will help guide wildlife and land use management decisions to reduce conflicts and to promote coexistence.
As part of this project, researchers are tagging bears for identification and adding GPS collars to study their movements and behaviors. The public may see social media posts that show study bears with tags and collars, similar to recent posts of a study animal near a den. We appreciate the public interest in these bears and wanted to address some frequently asked questions (FAQ) and concerns about the study.
Project FAQ
Why do you attach large, colorful ear tags to study animals?
- Easy identification: using visible ear tags allows researchers, and the public, to easily identify the animal as a research animal.
- Protection during the hunting season: The Minnesota DNR asks hunters to avoid harvesting research bears. The visible tags help ensure hunters know which bears are being studied.
Do the tags, or the GPS collars, hurt the bear?
- Much like earrings, the ear tags do not have a negative impact on a bear’s life.
- The process of tagging and collaring a bear does not make them more likely to cause conflicts.
Do the ear tags indicate that the bear wearing them has caused conflicts with people?
- No, the tags do not indicate a problem bear. We don’t know a bear’s conflict history when we collar it. The tags only signify that the bear is under study in our research project. We aim to study a representative sample of bears across our study area.
- Sometimes we learn of conflicts involving our study animals after we collar them, but not all research bears are involved in conflicts with humans.
How can I help the study?
- We welcome public engagement in this project. Of special interest right now are bears and/or dens. However sightings of any 3 carnivores in the project would be appreciated.
- Bear conflicts should be reported to local MN DNR wildlife managers: Minnesota DNR Area Wildlife Manager Offices
- Bear and/or den sightings in Duluth or the surrounding area can be reported to NRRI at [email protected] or MN DNR bear researchers at 218-328-8879 or 218-328-8874.
Other Questions?
- Contact us at [email protected]