G. BLACK BEAR 



1) Introduction 



Black bear were probably relatively numerous within the Libby 

 Dam impact area prior to inundation of the pool area. Loss of 

 25,536 acres of terrestrial habitat reduced the availability of 

 high quality forage areas and denning sites. This loss of habitat 

 resulted in a reduction in the number of black bears within the 

 Kootenai River valley, and was suspected to have affected the 

 reproductive rate of the population adjacent to the reservoir. 



Historically there has been very little species management 

 directed at the black bear. Currently, black bear is ranked fourth 

 in the management prioritization for Region One (northwestern Mon- 

 tana). Mon-^na Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. This rank- 

 ing will allow for the development of management strategies for 

 this species. 



2) Seasonal Habitat Prgfgr^ncg 



Riparian areas and lower benches along the Kootenai River 

 provided high quality seasonal habitat for black bears. Large 

 Cottonwood trees located along the bottoms provided of preferred 

 denning sites as described by Jonkel and Cowan (1971) and Gillespie 

 (1977). Lower benches and broken topography also provided suitable 

 denning sites; however, in comparison to the riparian sites these 

 locaticais were suboptimal. Riparian areas provided abundant lush 

 vegetational forage during the spring and an abundant late summer 

 and fall food supply of berries and mast. Lindzey and Meslow (1977) 

 cfoserved black bears preferred serai stage vegetation (such as found 

 in the riparian under story and in shrubland areas) to older aged, 

 less productive stands. Jonkel and Cowan (1971) determined black 

 bears concentrated at lower elevations during spring with movement, 

 primarily by males, to higher elevations after the breeding season. 



It has been determined the quality of the habitat regulates the 

 reproductive success of the black bear (Rogers 1974). Female black 

 bears on good to high quality habitat not only obtain sexual matur- 

 ity at an earlier age, therefore allowing ttiem to produce more young 

 during a lifetime, but also have a greater reproductive rate (more 

 years in which litters are produced and more young per litter). 

 Survival of young and yearling bears is also greater during years of 

 good food production (Rogers 1974). 



3) Population Status 



No reliable pre-project estimates were available for the black 

 bear population within the area of concern. The U.S. Forest Service 

 Annual Wildlife Reports estimated the number of black bear within 

 the ranger districts for the Kootenai National Forest. These were 

 rough estimates based on limited data and were not used in the 

 analysis. Jonkel and Cowan (1971) studied a black bear population 



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