Abstract:
Many countries promote wildlife observation as part of ecotourism offerings. The brown bear Ursus arctos is
among the most targeted species for ecotourism in North America and Europe, making it an ideal candidate to
examine the consequences of wildlife viewing upon the species. As bear viewing often occurs in sensitive places
where bears congregate for mating, rearing young and/or feeding, it is important to evaluate potential positive
and negative effects of different viewing practices. Here we reviewed available information on bear viewing practices
and their effects on bears, people and ecosystems. Behavioural, physiological and ecological aspects related
to bears are reviewed from three different perspectives: ecotourism consequences for bears, direct bear-human
interactions and social impacts of bear ecotourism. Because bear viewing can have positive and negative impacts
on both bear populations and bear-human interactions, it is important to carefully evaluate every practice associated
with bear viewing at a local scale. Because bear populations around the world have diverse population statuses
and different management regimes, successful procedures and rules effective in one place do not guarantee
that they will be adequate elsewhere. Effective management of bear viewing practices requires a better understanding
of the consequences for bears, the mechanisms behind observed bear reactions to humans, and the results
of bear habituation. Because inappropriate bear viewing practices can lead to processes such as foodconditioning
and habituation, which can have serious consequences for both people and bears, regulations on
bear ecotourism are urgently needed to minimize unintended consequences of bear viewing practices.
