Recent Occurrence of an American Black Bear in Nebraska

Authors

Justin D. Hoffman, McNeese State UniversityFollow
Sam Wilson, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Hugh H. Genoways, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2009

Citation

Ursus (April 2009) 20(1): 69-72.

Comments

Published by the International Association for Bear Research and Management.

Abstract

We report on a young male, cinnamon-phase American black bear (Ursus americanus) that was collected in northwestern Nebraska on May 12, 2008. This specimen represents the first black bear taken in Nebraska since 1907. Cranial characteristics and mass of the individual indicated a 15–16-month old bear. This bear may have dispersed from the Laramie Mountains in southeastern Wyoming along the North Platte River into western Nebraska. This record adds to the growing number of cases where large carnivores are reinvading previously occupied territory in the Great Plains. These reinvasions potentially have broad ecological implications to local prey populations and overall biodiversity.