In the thesis, we studied how season and brown bear spatial distribution affect the role of anthropogenic food in the diet of the species. The information about the diet was gained by collecting and analysing faeces from the daybeds of bears equipped with a GPS collars, and by estimating the volume share of each food source. Further statistical analyses were used to examine the diet of bears in relation to the season, the distance from urban areas and in relation to the pre-use of feeding places. Another issue was determination of the retention time of corn found on feeding places. From the gained results, we concluded that anthropogenic food from feeding places is a significant source of energy for the bears. However, the importance of it depends on the season, mostly on the presence of mast. The findings show that bears often use food from feeding places, even if they are located near settlements. Therefore, it can be anticipated that bears might be attracted or discouraged from settlements depending on the placement of feeding places. Retention time for corn is five to 18 hours, which means that the maize would be found in the excrement within one day after the bear visited the feeding place.
|
