Historic Range
Louisiana State University, Virginia
Tech, University of Arkansas, and University of Tennessee have
conducted collaborative research projects to explore the effects of
past reintroductions of black bears from Minnesota into Arkansas and
Louisiana. They examined the genetics of black bears from
northwestern and southeastern Arkansas, the Tensas and Atchafalya
River Basins of Louisiana, and Minnesota.
Arkansas
In 1985, Dr. Michael Pelton from
University of Tennessee supervised Tommy Smith’s research on the
ecology of black bears in bottomland hardwoods of Arkansas. Brandon
Wear, under Dr. Clark at University of Tennessee, studied the
reintroduction of bears from White River NWR to Felsenthal NWR in
Arkansas.
Louisiana
Most of the research efforts on the
bear population in the Tensas River Basin were supervised by Dr. Mike
Pelton from University of Tennessee. Keith Weaver examined bear
movements, denning habits, foods, and reproductive success of bears
on Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge. Following Weaver’s work,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supported several graduate
students in northeast Louisiana to study bears under Dr. Pelton.
Forrest Marchinton, Don Anderson, and Rich Beausolei have done
research on bears in the Epps Plantation (Formerly Deltic Timber)
tracts north of Tensas River NWR. Marchinton studied bear movements,
Anderson looked at habitat use and feeding ecology, and Beausolei
researched population ecology. Under the direction of Dr. Joe Clark,
Mark Boersen estimated bear population abundance on Tensas River NWR
using a DNA hair-snare technique. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service has supported research through universities, they also
actively trap bears in the Tensas River Basin in the ongoing effort
to gather information about the bear. As other research winds down,
Service biologists will continue to manage bears and trap and collar
females with the potential to be used in the repatriation efforts.
Research on the bear populations located in the Atchafalaya River Basin has been primarily through Louisiana State University. In 1971, David Taylor looked at the history and status of bears in Louisiana and, in 1988, Andrew Hammond revisited the status of bears in the state. Dr. Richard Pace directed several research projects on bears, primarily in south-central (Pointe Coupee Parish) and coastal (St. Mary and Iberia Parishes) Louisiana. Bob Wagner examined the movement patters of bears in south0central and coastal Louisiana, and later evaluated landscape-scale habitat use of bears throughout the state. Phillip Nyland researched bear habitat use in coastal Louisiana, and Pat Stinson studied bears in the Tunica Hills region. Deb Triant looked at the efficacy of using DNA hair snares to estimate the population and genetic diversity of the south-central and coast bear populations. Dwayne Hightower studied bear movements in south-central and coastal Louisiana. Under the direction of Dr. Mike Chamberlain, Kyle Van Why examined the feasibility of restoring the Louisiana black bear to parts of the historic range. U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists conducted additional bear research in St. Mary and Iberia Parishes in conjunction with Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge.
Mississippi
Since 2004, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) have tagged and collected radio-telemetry data on 25 different bears throughout the state. The data has provided invaluable insight into the habits, movements, and preferences of bears in Mississippi which were previously unknown. The incorporation of GSP collars into the study has further increased our understanding of what is needed by black bears to flourish in Mississippi.
Texas
Research on bears in east Texas has primarily been conducted by the Texas Wildlife and Parks Department. Department biologists Nathan Garner and Sean Willis examined habitat suitability for bears in east Texas. Clint Epps looked specifically at habitat suitability of Big Thicket National Preserve for bears through his research at Rice University.