Lynn L. Rogers
Arthur W. Allen
U.S. Seal
Glenn D. DelGiudice
1991
<div id="9838761" class="article-section-wrapper js-article-section js-content-section " data-section-parent-id="0"><p>We compared weights and hematological profiles of adult (>3-yr-old) female black bears (<i>Ursus americanus</i>) during hibernation (after 8 January). We handled 28 bears one to four times (total of 47) over 4 yr of varying mast and berry production. Mean weight of lactating bears was greater (<i>P</i><span> </span>< 0.0001) than that of non-lactating females. White blood cells (<i>P</i><span> </span>< 0.05) and mean corpuscular volume (<i>P</i><span> </span>= 0.005) also differed between lactating and non-lactating bears. Hemoglobin (<i>P</i><span> </span>= 0.006) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (<i>P</i><span> </span>= 0.02) varied among years; values were lowest during 1975, following decreased precipitation and the occurrence of a second year of mast and berry crop shortages in a three-year period. Significant (<i>P</i><span> </span>< 0.05) interaction between reproductive status (lactating versus non-lactating) and study year for hemoglobin, red blood cells, and packed cell volume, and increased mean corpuscular volume, suggested a greater nutritional challenge for lactating females compared to non-lactating females during the 1975 denning season. Our data suggest that hematological characteristics of denning bears may be more sensitive than weights as indicators of annual changes in nutritional status; however, other influential factors, in addition to mast and berry crop production, remain to be examined.</p></div>
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10.7589/0090-3558-27.4.637
en
Wildlife Disease Association
Weights and hematology of wild black bears during hibernation
article