Scientists Track Alabama Bear Cub Survival Rate

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2019/03/Photo1.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1079;s:4:"file";s:18:"2019/03/Photo1.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-771x433.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:433;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Photo1-1536x863.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:863;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"Photo1-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Photo1-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:1915459;s:14:"optimized_size";i:569528;s:7:"percent";d:70.269999999999996;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:10412;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9488;s:7:"percent";d:8.8699999999999992;}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:31464;s:14:"optimized_size";i:28678;s:7:"percent";d:8.8499999999999996;}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:141869;s:14:"optimized_size";i:129016;s:7:"percent";d:9.0600000000000005;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:3791;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3420;s:7:"percent";d:9.7899999999999991;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:91490;s:14:"optimized_size";i:83253;s:7:"percent";d:9;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:39959;s:14:"optimized_size";i:36538;s:7:"percent";d:8.5600000000000005;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:78614;s:14:"optimized_size";i:71453;s:7:"percent";d:9.1099999999999994;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:58826;s:14:"optimized_size";i:53633;s:7:"percent";d:8.8300000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:8433;s:14:"optimized_size";i:7665;s:7:"percent";d:9.1099999999999994;}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:2380317;s:14:"optimized_size";i:992672;s:7:"percent";d:58.299999999999997;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Fontaine Radcliffe Howard
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  Auburn University
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1637578538 
1553090535

Alabama is home to two different populations of black bears. There is a small group in the northeast around Little River Canyon, which appears to be growing quickly. And then there is a larger group to the south near Mobile. The population there isn’t growing like it should, according to Todd Steury, a wildlife ecologist at Auburn University. Over the past few years, Steury and fellow researchers have noticed a problem in the area.

“We would go in and we’d visit the dens in spring and we’d count two, three cubs,” Steury says. “But then later in April or May we might only see one cub. And so we were very concerned that maybe cubs weren’t surviving.”

Steury thinks this could be related to the disappearance of traditional bear den habitat. In the past, bears along the coast used old hollowed-out cypress trees to rest or hibernate. But there aren’t many of these trees left. Steury says now, bears are making nests in the ground, like big shallow birds’ nests. These might not provide enough protection for cubs.

Steur recently received a $1.1 million grant from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to study the problem.

This bear den is a shallow nest in the ground. Researchers say this type of den might not provide enough protection for bear cubs.

Chris Seals,Auburn University
This bear den is a shallow nest in the ground. Researchers say this type of den might not provide enough protection for bear cubs.

For the next five years, Steury’s team will study this behavior and track the survival rate of black bears throughout Alabama. The research could help stabilize and improve the population, which Steury says is good for the ecosystem.

“It’s something that in conservation circles we call an umbrella species,” Steury says. “In that, if you protect this animal, it serves as an umbrella and it protects a whole lot of other animals too.”

Steury says most people want to protect bears, but they don’t want the animal close by. For those who happen to encounter a black bear, Steury’s advice is to make a lot of noise and back up slowly.

 

United Nations nuclear agency again condemns Iran for failing to fully cooperate

The resolution comes after the agency said Iran has defied demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

Alabama carries out nation’s 3rd nitrogen gas execution

An Alabama man convicted in the 1994 killing of a hitchhiker cursed at the prison warden shortly before he was put to death Thursday evening in the nation's third execution using nitrogen gas.

Trump names former Florida AG Pam Bondi as his new pick for U.S. attorney general

After former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration, President-elect Donald Trump named Pam Bondi, a former attorney general of Florida, as his next pick for U.S. attorney general.

Police report gives details, timeline of the sexual assault claim against Pete Hegseth

The woman who accused then-Fox News host of sexual assault in 2017 said that she "remembered saying 'no' a lot," according to a police report. Hegseth is President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense.

Alabama Black Belt’s sewer crisis a tougher fix for residents in manufactured homes

Poor sanitation has long plagued residents in Alabama’s Black Belt. For people with manufactured houses, finding a solution has been more challenging.

In Birmingham, Black men’s groups work to save young men from the cycle of gun violence

As the city inches closer to its homicide record, community members are trying to address a sense of fatalism and lack of opportunity felt by some young men.

More Environment Coverage