Team

The time and energy an organism can devote to an activity are limited, which results in dynamic trade-offs between foraging, reproduction, and risk avoidance. Those trade-offs are known to promote fitness, similarly to sexually selected infanticide – a behavior observed in black bears (Ursus americanus). Habitat selection may be indicative of this behavior if female bears with cubs avoid the most productive habitats that are chosen by males. This example could represent a protective behavior against infanticide, favoring female reproductive success, but the choice of less productive habitats could counterbalance this improvement. My results will enable us to map the relative occurrence of bears of both sexes and translate them into a risk map for cubs and their mothers. These results will be used in decision-making for black bear management in Quebec.