Satellite Monitoring of Black Bear

Abstract

A feasibility experiment was performed recently to test the use of the Nimbus 3 ILRS System for telemetering environmental and physiological data from the winter den of a hibernating black bear, Ursus americanus. Sensory data collected showed that the temperature in most locations in the den remained near freezing. Average temperature in the bear's bed was 24.8 C above outside ambient. Other points were 3–5 C above outside temperature.