ASC Data

Diet Estimates of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2004-2016

Data Download [24.2KB] | Metadata | AK Science Portal | Project Site | Date Range: 2004 - 2016

These were data collected from polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea during the spring between 2004 and 2016. Data include individual bear identification, age and sex class, capture date, capture year, open water season lengths, melt season length, and diet composition (expressed as a percentage of prey species). These data were used to determine whether polar bear diets have recently changed or remained stable over time.

Author(s): USGS Alaska Science Center, Polar Bear Research Program.

Suggested Citation:
USGS Alaska Science Center, Polar Bear Research Program., 2023, Diet estimates of Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears, 2004-2016: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9JXZSUS.

Referenced Publication(s):

Bourgue, J., T. C. Atwood, G. Divoky, C. Stewart, and M. A. McKinney. 2020. Fatty acid-based diet estimates suggest ringed seal remain the main prey of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears despite recent use of onshore food resources. Ecology and Evolution 10(4):2093-2103. doi:10.1002/ece3.6043

Watson, S. E., M. A. McKinney, M. Pindo, M. J. Bull, T. C. Atwood, H. C. Hauffe, and S. E. Perkins. 2021. Diet-driven mercury contamination is associated with polar bear gut microbiota. Scientific Reports 11:23372. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-02657-6

DataID: 592 | doi:10.5066/P9JXZSUS | Date Posted Online: 2023-09-11 | Last Updated:

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