PATHWAYS.
PATHWAYS.
Bear
pathways are common signs in localities having a continuous presence of
individuals of that species. These pathways are the product of the behavior of
the individuals using this route to move from one place to another within their
home range. These pathways are commonly found across mountain ridges.
Pathways
are the signs with the highest potential of providing information about the
bear’s territory.
The
tracking of pathways leads to other type of bear activity signs that show the
bears presence in an area, such as: scats,
feeding places, rest
places, nests,
etc. Furthermore, the monitoring of these pathways provides temporality
information about the presence of individuals in the area and that of the
resources the animal utilizes through the year by surveying the feeding places
and scats across the route.
Bear
pathways are easy to recognize, since they are very similar to those used by
humans, but with a difference. Bear’s paths have an open area of up to 50 to
60 cm from the ground, with vegetation or branches lying across. From these
ample and practically clear of vegetation pathways, branch a large amount of
secondary footpaths (a lot less visible) that lead to other areas utilized by
the animal.
In the páramo areas, it’s easier and more frequent to find pathways running across the vegetation between eaten bromeliad patches. These pathways last a few weeks and are indicative of a recent use of the resource.