Estimation of breeding population size using DNA‐based pedigree reconstruction in brown bears

A high-density brown bear population on the Shiretoko Peninsula, Japan, was found to have between 128 and 173 breeding females and 66 and 91 breeding males, with a minimum total population size of 449 individuals in 2019. This estimate was derived using DNA-based pedigree reconstruction, which relied on long-term genetic sampling (1998–2020) followed by intensive noninvasive surveys (2019–2020). Researchers successfully assigned parentage for 330 bears and partial parentage for an additional 123 individuals using microsatellite markers. The study demonstrates that combining extensive historical data with short-term intensive sampling can yield reliable demographic estimates for elusive species, providing critical insights for conservation efforts.

Shimozuru, M., Jimbo, M., Adachi, K., Kawamura, K., Shirane, Y., Umemura, Y., Ishinazaka, T., Nakanishi, M., Kiyonari, M., Yamanaka, M., Amagai, Y., Ijuin, A., Sakiyama, T., Kasai, S., Nose, T., Shirayanagi, M., Tsuruga, H., Mano, T., Tsubota, T., et al. (2022). Estimation of breeding population size using DNA‐based pedigree reconstruction in brown bears. Ecology and Evolution, 12(9). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9246