Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: North Carolina
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Black bear populations in the North Carolina Coastal Bear Management Unit (CBMU) have increased over the past 50 years, and now occur at high densities in multiple regions. The project herein aims to produce unbiased population density and abundance estimates for the CBMU, assess the population structure of current CBMU zones using local density and population genetics, and evaluate the potential of less intensive alternative protocols for long-term monitoring objectives. This project is a collaboration of researchers across multiple agencies and includes North Carolina State University, USGS North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Mississippi State University, and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. This comprehensive approach to evaluating abundance, density, and population genetics provides important information needed for black bear management and conservation in North Carolina.