Polar Bears In Depth
Introduction
The Polar Bear - Ursus maritimus
Biology, Management, and Conservation
by Steven C. Amstrup
Steven C. Amstrup is a Research Wildlife Biologist with the Unites States Geological Survey at the Alaska Science Center, Anchorage AK. He holds a B.S. in Forestry from the University of Washington (1972), a M.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Idaho (1975), and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (1995). He has been conducting research on all aspects of polar bear ecology in the Beaufort Sea for 24 years. His interests include distribution and movement patterns as well as population dynamics of wildlife, and how information on those topics can be used to assure wise stewardship. He is particularly interested in how science can help to reconcile the ever enlarging human footprint on our environment with the needs of other species for that same environment. Prior work experiences include studies of black bears in central Idaho, and pronghorns and grouse in Wyoming. On their honeymoon in New Zealand in 1999, Steven and his wife Virginia helped in a tagging study of little blue penguins. That experience gave Steve the honor of being one of the very few people ever to have been bitten by both polar bears and penguins.
NOMENCLATURE
COMMON NAMES. Polar bear, nanook, nanuq, nanuk, ice bear, sea bear, eisbär, isbjørn, white bear
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ursus maritimus
Phipps (1774) first described the polar bear as a species distinct from other bears and gave the name Ursus maritimus. Subsequently, alternative generic names including Thalassarctos, Thalarctos, and Thalatarctos were suggested. Erdbrink (1953) and Thenius (1953) settled on Ursus (Thalarctos) maritimus, citing interbreeding between brown bears (Ursus arctos) and polar bears in zoos. Kurt´en (1964) described the evolution of polar bears based on the fossil record and recommended the name Ursus maritimus as adopted by Phipps (1774). Harington (1966), Manning (1971), and Wilson (1976) subsequently promoted use of the name Ursus maritimus, and it has predominated ever since.
Biology, Management, and Conservation
by Steven C. Amstrup
Steven C. Amstrup is a Research Wildlife Biologist with the Unites States Geological Survey at the Alaska Science Center, Anchorage AK. He holds a B.S. in Forestry from the University of Washington (1972), a M.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Idaho (1975), and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (1995). He has been conducting research on all aspects of polar bear ecology in the Beaufort Sea for 24 years. His interests include distribution and movement patterns as well as population dynamics of wildlife, and how information on those topics can be used to assure wise stewardship. He is particularly interested in how science can help to reconcile the ever enlarging human footprint on our environment with the needs of other species for that same environment. Prior work experiences include studies of black bears in central Idaho, and pronghorns and grouse in Wyoming. On their honeymoon in New Zealand in 1999, Steven and his wife Virginia helped in a tagging study of little blue penguins. That experience gave Steve the honor of being one of the very few people ever to have been bitten by both polar bears and penguins.
NOMENCLATURE
COMMON NAMES. Polar bear, nanook, nanuq, nanuk, ice bear, sea bear, eisbär, isbjørn, white bear
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ursus maritimus
Phipps (1774) first described the polar bear as a species distinct from other bears and gave the name Ursus maritimus. Subsequently, alternative generic names including Thalassarctos, Thalarctos, and Thalatarctos were suggested. Erdbrink (1953) and Thenius (1953) settled on Ursus (Thalarctos) maritimus, citing interbreeding between brown bears (Ursus arctos) and polar bears in zoos. Kurt´en (1964) described the evolution of polar bears based on the fossil record and recommended the name Ursus maritimus as adopted by Phipps (1774). Harington (1966), Manning (1971), and Wilson (1976) subsequently promoted use of the name Ursus maritimus, and it has predominated ever since.
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