Medium and large mammal community and spatiotemporal activity and interspecific interactions of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Yenice forest - Implications for conservation

Understanding their ecological requirements is essential for the conservation planning of the protected species in a designated protected area. Otherwise, protected areas become symbolic reserves safeguarded only in documentation. In this study, we carried out the first extensive systematic camera trapping in Yenice Forest, Karabük, Turkey, covering around 500 km2 area of the forest. We examined the distribution and habitat use of medium and large mammals in Yenice Wildlife Development Area and the surrounding state hunting grounds. We further evaluated the spatiotemporal patterns and species interactions of the brown bear which is a keystone, umbrella, and flagship species. A multiscale analysis of environmental covariates showed that mean elevation and slope within 16km radius and water bodies within 4km radius were the most influential parameters and positively influenced the occurrence of brown bears in Yenice Forest. The human-related covariates did not affect the spatial use of habitat, however, there was temporal partitioning of space use between humans and brown bears. At the community level, abundance was found higher in the areas with vehicle captures compared to the areas where no vehicles were recorded. Mean slope within 16km radius and water bodies within 4km radius were also important covariates at the community level. Protected area status and distance to the protected area did not change the habitat use of the target species. Target species showed mostly nocturnal and crepuscular activity. Further systematic monitoring of these species would help understand the trends of these populations in time and better inform conservation decisions