Forced sympatry? Spatiotemporal interactions of ursids, the Himalayan brown bear and the Asiatic black bear, along a gradient of anthropic disturbances in Western Himalaya

A study in the Western Himalaya reveals that anthropogenic pressures significantly influence the spatiotemporal interactions between two bear species, the Himalayan brown bear and the Asiatic black bear. While both species exhibit spatial overlap (98%) in the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) with high human disturbance, they show spatial separation (93%) in the Bhagirathi basin, where anthropogenic pressures are lower. Temporal segregation was observed in GHNP, whereas similar activity patterns were noted in Bhagirathi. Human activities negatively impacted brown bear presence in alpine habitats of GHNP, highlighting that these bears shift to forested areas due to disturbance. The research underscores the role of human influence on interspecific competition alongside biological factors.

Thakur, S., Pal, R., Kahera, N. S., & Sathyakumar, S. (2023). Forced sympatry? Spatiotemporal interactions of ursids, the Himalayan brown bear and the Asiatic black bear, along a gradient of anthropic disturbances in Western Himalaya. Journal of Zoology, 321(1), 59–74. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.13090