Jeanne Clermont
Project
Effects of hunting risk and energetic costs of locomotion on the movement decisions of Scandinavian brown bearsAnimals select habitats that give them access to quality food, while avoiding areas where the risk of predation is high. To reduce their energy expenditure, they may also consider terrain features that influence energetic costs of locomotion. However, little is known about how individuals choose their trajectories while simultaneously considering the risk of predation and the energetic costs of locomotion. In my postdoctoral project, I will study the movements of Scandinavian brown bears from a heavily hunted population. It is currently known that bears adjust their movements in response to hunting risk, but we have yet to determine whether bears consider energetic costs associated with locomotion in their trajectory choices. Movement data (GPS and accelerometer) will allow me to both determine the trajectories used by bears and quantify the energetic costs associated with their movements. I will then be able to jointly assess how predation risk associated with hunting and costs of locomotion influence behavioural decisions of moving bears. My project will provide a better understanding of the energetic consequences of behavioural decisions made by animals facing significant predation risk, and of the extent of the effects of hunting on animal populations.
