Satellite transmitters track brown bears in northeastern Kars
A DEDICATED team of experts is working tirelessly to safeguard the population of brown bears in Kars, conducting thorough examinations of their habitats using satellite transmitters.
Since 2006, the KuzeyDoğa Association team has been researching wild animals in the forests of Kars, Erzurum and Sarıkamış, with the permission of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Their focus on brown bears includes monitoring their movements using satellite transmitters.
During the summer months, brown bears from the rural area of Artvin’s Şavşat district migrate to Sarıkamış to feed, following a route they repeat in October and November when they return. Currently, it has been observed that these bears are in hibernation due to the heavy snow and freezing cold in the region.
It is anticipated that approximately 10 brown bears, tracked with satellite transmitters, will emerge from hibernation in the spring. The study has been ongoing since 2006, monitoring the lives of 78 brown bears.
In recent years, observations have shown that some bears in the region do not hibernate, likely due to the winter being dry and temperatures remaining above seasonal norms, while others have shorter hibernation periods, going to bed late and waking up early.
Emrah Çoban, the Science Coordinator of KuzeyDoğa Association, informed Anadolu Agency (AA) that they are closely monitoring the brown bears in Sarıkamış in collaboration with the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks.
Çoban noted that this year, the weather in Sarıkamış has been cold with heavy snowfall, leading all the brown bears they were monitoring to hibernate. He explained, “The hibernation of brown bears is influenced by air temperature and food availability. Bears enter hibernation due to reduced food sources, managing this period by lowering their metabolic rate and sleeping. This year, winter in Sarıkamış is particularly harsh, and despite recent warmer weather, brown bears continue to hibernate.”
Last year, the weather warmed rapidly after April, leading some brown bears to wake up from hibernation early and go to bed later. This variation indicates the impact of climate on the hibernation patterns of brown bears in the region.