Data for: Coexistence or conflict: black bear habitat use along an urban-wildland gradient

The urban-wildland interface is expanding and increasing the risk of
human-wildlife conflict. Some wildlife species adapt to or avoid living
near people, while others select for anthropogenic resources and are thus
more prone to conflict. To promote human-wildlife coexistence, wildlife
and land managers need to understand how conflict relates to habitat and
resource use in the urban-wildland interface. We investigated black bear
(Ursus americanus) habitat use across a gradient of human disturbance in a
North American hotspot of human-black bear conflict. We used camera traps
to monitor bear activity from July 2018 to July 2019, and compared bear
habitat use to environmental and anthropogenic variables and
spatiotemporal probabilities of conflict. Bears predominantly used areas
of high vegetation productivity, avoided higher human densities, and
increased their nocturnality near people. Still, bears used more
high-conflict areas in summer and autumn, specifically rural lands with
ripe crops. Our results suggest that bears are generally modifying their
behaviours in the urban-wildland interface through spatial and temporal
avoidance of humans, which may facilitate coexistence. However, conflict
still occurs, especially in autumn when hyperphagia and peak crop
availability attract bears to abundant rural food resources. To improve
conflict mitigation practices, we recommend targeting seasonal rural
attractants such as with pre-emptive fruit picking, bear-proof compost
containment, and other forms of behavioural deterrence. By combining
camera-trap monitoring of a large carnivore along an anthropogenic
gradient with conflict mapping, we provide a framework for evidence-based
improvements in human-wildlife coexistence.