Grizzly Bear Response to Oil and Gas Development and Activities in Alberta

.................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................ 5 METHODS ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Datasets .............................................................................................................................................................................. 7 Analysis ............................................................................................................................................................................... 9 1. Randomization of grizzly bear data .......................................................................................................................... 10 2. Comparison of observed and expected distances to oil and gas features ................................................................ 10 3. Day/night distance comparison ............................................................................................................................... 10 4. Wellsite age comparison .......................................................................................................................................... 11 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 DISCUSSION .............................................................................................................................................................................. 18 LITERATURE CITED....................................................................................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 3: GRIZZLY BEAR USE OR AVOIDANCE OF OIL AND GAS WELLSITES .................................................................... 26 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 26 METHODS: ................................................................................................................................................................................ 27 a. Bear selection (use) or avoidance of the wellpad and ZOI ....................................................................................... 27 b. Availability of bear foods at wellsites ....................................................................................................................... 31 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 a. Bear selection (use) or avoidance of the wellpad and ZOI ....................................................................................... 32 b. Availability of bear foods at wellsites ....................................................................................................................... 35 DISCUSSION .............................................................................................................................................................................. 37 LITERATURE CITED....................................................................................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 4: GRIZZLY BEAR MOVEMENT IN RELATION TO OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES .......................................................... 43 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 43 METHODS ................................................................................................................................................................................. 44 Grizzly bear telemetry data ............................................................................................................................................... 44 Oil and gas features .......................................................................................................................................................... 44 Disturbance data ............................................................................................................................................................... 45 1 This report was prepared in chapter format in order to allow the research team to submit individual chapters for peerreviewed publication.