Ruriko Iibuchi, Noriko Nakano, Tadashi Nakamura, Tadasu Urashima, Michito Shimozuru, Tetsuma Murase, Toshio Tsubota
Japanese black bears, Ursus thibetanus japonicus, have been classified as a vulnerable species so that data on reproduction are needed to maintain and/or extend their population. They are known to have a peculiar style of reproduction, giving birth to their neonates and raising them during denning, a period of complete fasting. In this study, we investigated the metabolic rate and milk composition of mother bears raising neonates, and the changes in body weight of the neonates under captive conditions. Seven female bears kept in dens were weighed once a month, and the amount of energy they used was calculated...
May 2009: Japanese Journal of Veterinary Research