Elgmork, K. & Tjørve, E. 1995: Brown bear Ursus arctos scavenging patterns. - Wildl. Biol. 1: 239-242.

The brown bear Ursus arctos L. has long been believed to skin its prey and to leave behind a large hide and an unmolested skeleton. Camera monitoring in nature and observations in zoos revealed that carcasses were skinned and the skeletons cleaned by scavenging birds, mainly ravens Corvus corax and golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos. These results have implications for the estimates of brown bear densities, and supposed damage and compensation.

Key words: brown bear, Ursus arctos, raven, Corvus corax, jay, Garrulus glandarius, hooded crow, Corvus corone cornix, golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, fox, Vulpes vulpes, eating pattern, scavenging behaviour, South Norway

Kåre Elgmork & Even Tjørve*, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1050, Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway

Present address: Lillehammer College, P.O.Box 1004, Skurva, N-2601 Lillehammer, Norway

Received 6 October 1995, accepted 8 November 1995

Associate Editor: Heikki Henttonen