Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a funding opportunity to a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partner for research to support the estimation of polar bear abundance for the Southern Beaufort Sea and Northern Beaufort Sea subpopulations and a harvest risk assessment for the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. The project aims to apply an integrated population model to estimate the abundance of the two subpopulations and characterize the risk of under- or over-harvesting the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. The proposed work will help the USGS research team improve assessments of polar bear population vital rates and trends and help the USFWS and co-management entities ensure polar bear harvest is sustainable. Key objectives include: * Estimating the abundance of the Southern Beaufort Sea and Northern Beaufort Sea subpopulations of polar bears * Conducting a harvest risk assessment for the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation * Applying an integrated population model to estimate vital rates and abundance from a combination of live-capture, biopsy, satellite telemetry, harvest data, and Indigenous Knowledge for polar bears * Disseminating research results to the scientific community and appropriate professional organizations, local, State, regional, and Federal agencies, and the public