As human-wildlife conflict increases with growing suburban and urban populations, Nevada’s Wildlife Department is reminding the public it still has a trick up its sleeve to keep both people and black bears safe: working dogs.
The agency published several incredible photos of working Karelian bear dogs Wednesday. The dogs, which are a medium-sized black and white hunting breed of Finnish origin, are seen facing the problem of black bears while being released back into the wild.
The agency explained NDOW’s Karelian bear dogs, or KBDs, “help keep Nevada’s black bears wild” through a non-lethal technique known as aversive conditioning. That’s a fancy way of saying that they help wildlife managers hide bears in urban areas and ensure they get along well when releasing them back into the wild.
NDOW writes, “NDOW primarily uses Karelian bear dogs during bear releases, but they also assist in scaring bears from urban dens, deterring wildlife in public settings, locating injured or orphaned bears, and supporting bear research efforts.” “Programs like this help reduce human-bear conflict and may save bears from extinction.”
Nevada has been operating its Karelian bear dog program since 2001, when NDOW acquired its first bear-fighting dog – a Karelian named Striker. It is unclear how many bear dogs are currently active across the state; The agency did not immediately respond to a request for more information on its program. NDOW calls its program one of the first ever established in North America, although only a handful of agencies across the country still rely on these working dogs for bear-conflict management today.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Briefly mentioned on its website That it “uses specially trained Karelian bear dogs to blur bears during release and to search for bears during human-wildlife conflicts.” Operators in the Tahoe Basin, a notorious hotspot for human-bear conflict used kbd With good success. there are dogs too keeping wildland firefighters safe from bears in Alaska, and the National Park Service used them In Glacier National Park to manage catastrophic conflicts.
Many of the Karelian bear dogs bred throughout the country are obtained from here Wind River Bear InstituteWhich was founded in 1996 by bear biologist and wildlife trainer Cary Hunt. Hunt wanted to expand non-lethal solutions to bear conflicts.
Washington State used to operate a large Karelian bear dog program to reduce bear and cougar conflict, but it has been substantially scaled down in recent years. Now, some wildlife managers worry the program is in jeopardy. As of September, there were only three active bear dogs deployed in the state – down from seven in 2012 – with no plans to introduce any new working dogs as of September. Handlers also report that KBDs are being used less frequently for deterrence and problem bears are being euthanized more frequently.
Nick Zorg, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife official, said, “I think we have prevented the unnecessary deaths of about a thousand bears with our program. They have also helped us catch many hunters, which has also contributed to Wildlife’s success.” filson In the fall. “This is the only thing in almost twenty-five years of working with bears that I have personally seen that actually works on both the people and animal sides that will actually save bear lives and help prevent future conflicts. I hope that continues.”
WDFW’s Karelian Bear Dog Program Privately funded through donations. Many pages have been created on the program itself Removed from state agency website. Whereas some research While it has been found that harassing bears with chasing dogs does not ultimately result in lasting conflict mitigation, many handlers will have differing opinions, and some research on harassment with the Karelian breed in particular suggests otherwise.
One researcher (and KBD handler) found that food-conditioned black bears would still return to human attractants such as garbage after a hunt, Karelian bear dogs cause massive changes in bear behavior In ways that reduce conflict, such as pushing bears toward more nocturnal and less urban patterns.
About Karelian Bear Dogs
Karelian bear dogs were originally used by Finnish and Russian farmers as watchdogs and for hunting, according to American Kennel Club. The breed, which works in tandem with other dogs to hunt and hunt prey, lived a hard life and often could not escape predation.
Connected: Where do all the problem bears go?
World War II was particularly devastating to Karelian bear dogs, according to American Karelian Bear Dog AllianceBecause “many were deliberately destroyed by the owners, or left in the wild to avoid being captured as war booty by the Russians.” Breeding officially began after the war with a gathering of 60 animals, 43 of which were used to establish the black and white dogs recognized as the official breed standard. Today, they are one of the most popular dogs in Finland, ranking among the top 10 breeds in the country.
According to the AKC breed profile, adult Karelian bear dogs weigh about 44 to 49 pounds, and most run mid-range in social and personality traits (though they are not considered particularly good with small children). The breed falls on the high end of the training spectrum, with the AKC describing them as quite eager to please handlers. He is considered loyal, courageous and capable:
“The Karelian Bear Dog is a keen hunter and very independent, yet works cooperatively to mark game by barking. Their senses, especially smell, are sharp, thus making the breed suitable for big game hunting. They have a very good sense of direction, they are balanced, courageous and persistent.”
