Diet analysis of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Nemrut kaldera natural monument in Bitlis province

The brown bear (Ursus arctos), which belongs to order Carnivora, is the largest terrestrial mammal species in our country. This study was carried out in Nemrut Caldera Natural Monument between June 2018 and September 2019. Upon the analysis of 79 feces, the diet of brown bear was determined, using 4 categories; plants, invertebrates, vertebrates and other parts (picnic scraps). The diet was composed of 69,934% plant, 7,258% invertebrate, 7,258% vertebrates and 18,548% other parts (picnic scraps). It was determined that brown bear mostly used forest areas as a habitat in caldera. Furthermore, It was determined that brown bear-human convergence, pollution and unconscious hunting were the most effective factors that threatened the brown bear extinction.