Infanticide and Cannibalism of Juvenile Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in Svalbard | Zendy

Andrew E. Derocher | Zendy; Øystein Wiig | Zendy

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Infanticide and Cannibalism of Juvenile Polar Bears (<i>Ursus maritimus<i/>) in Svalbard

Author(s) -

Andrew E. Derocher,

Øystein Wiig

Publication year - 1999

Publication title -

arctic

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503

H-Index - 59

eISSN - 1923-1245

pISSN - 0004-0843

DOI - 10.14430/arctic936

Subject(s) - ursus maritimus , cannibalism , juvenile , zoology , population , offspring , biology , adult male , ursus , ecology , geography , demography , arctic , predation , sociology , endocrinology , pregnancy , genetics

Two instances of infanticide and cannibalism in polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) were observed in SE Svalbard, at Hopen Island. In the first, an adult male killed three young cubs at a den site and consumed one of them. In the second, an adult male actively pursued, killed, and consumed a dependent yearling. Infanticide of dependent polar bear offspring by adult males may be more common in Svalbard than in other populations because the population is close to carrying capacity or because geographic features reduce spatial segregation of age and sex classes. Key words: Barents Sea, cannibalism, infanticide, polar bear, Ursus maritimus , Svalbard

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