Behaviour of the eurasian brown bear at rub trees in Italy

(1)

88

Session:

Bear ecology, behaviour and physiology

BEHAVIOUR OF THE EURASIAN BROWN BEAR AT RUB TREES IN THE ITALY

Clara Tattoni1,2_{, Natalia Bragalanti}3_{, Marco Ciolli}2_{, Claudio Groff}3_{, Francesco Rovero}1 1_{MUSE – Museo delle Scienze, Italy}

2_{University of Trento, Italy} 3_{Forest and Wildlife Service, Italy}

Abstract

!"#$ #%&'($ )*)+(#,#$ %!,$ -)./"*0$ 1,!)2"3&.$ 34$ %!,$ 5&.)#")*$ 1.36*$ 1,).$ 7+-,'$ '&."*0$ )$ %!.,,8(,).$ #&.2,($ 1($ 9)-,.)$ %.):#$ :+)9,'$ "*$ 4.3*%$ 34$ ;<$ .&1$ %.,,#$ "*$ %!,$ 9,*%.)+$ =%)+")*$ >+:#?$ @,$ 9&-&+)%,'$ 32,.$ <AA$ 2"',3#$ 34$ 1,).#$%!.3&0!$)$#)-:+"*0$,443.%$34$)13&%$BAAA$9)-,.)$')(#?$ !,$1,).#$9):%&.,'$"*$%!,$2"',3#$6,.,$9+)##"7,'$ according to age and sex, and type and duration of each behaviour was recorded. Data allowed to assess temporal patterns of rubbing behaviour, differences within sex, age and among individuals. Rubbing was #"0*"79)*%+($-3.,$:,.43.-,'$1($)'&+%$-)+,#$6"%!$)$:,)/$'&."*0$%!,$1.,,'"*0$#,)#3*?$>'&+%$-)+,#$&#,'$)$2).",%($ 34$:3#"%"3*#$%3$-)./$%!,$%.,,#$93-:).,'$%3$%!,$3%!,.$9+)##,#C$93*7.-"*0$%!)%$%!"#$1,!)2"3&.$"#$-)"*+($.,+)%,'$ to the mating strategy of the species. Rubbing was also observed during the non-breeding season, but with much less intensity, while investigation of rub trees was performed by bears of all ages and sexes throughout the seasons. The only tree female bears who rubbed the trees were recorded in autumn, outside the breeding season. Rubbing on a tree by a bear triggered a response in individuals subsequently passing by the same rub %.,,D$E;F$34$%!,$%"-,#$%!,$#,93*'$1,).$,"%!,.$.&11,'$3.$"*2,#%"0)%,'C$6"%!$)$:.3:3.%"3*$%!)%$'"44,.,'$#"0*"79)*%+($ from a random sample. Results support the hypothesis that rubbing the trees is a mean of communication during the mating season, as already documented for grizzlies and brown bears in North America.