Habitat selection by the Himalayan brown bear in the multiuse landscape of Lahaul Valley, India

The Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) is the largest carnivore in the Himalayan Mountain range of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Distinguished by its exclusive occurrence in mountain landscapes within the Himalayas, this species is threatened by anthropogenic pressure, habitat degradation, and climate change. There is limited understanding of the habitat requirements of the Himalayan brown bear in India, so we used camera traps and sign surveys conducted from July 2018 to December 2022 to address this knowledge gap, focusing on the influence of ecogeographic variables on Himalayan brown bear habitat use within the Lahaul Valley of India. Employing a generalized linear model using presence and randomly generated pseudoabsence locations, we found a positive relationship of Himalayan brown bear habitat use with annual precipitation, the largest patch index, the Shannon diversity index, and slope. Conversely, a negative association was observed with elevation and precipitation in the driest month. The study found Himalayan brown bear preference for larger, interconnected habitat patches, highlighting the significance of these areas for resources and connectivity. Himalayan brown bear predicted presence is mainly in the subalpine and alpine regions at 2,500 m to 4,500 m elevation. Moderate to steep slopes are preferred by Himalayan brown bears, consistent with den site preferences and habitat use patterns. Resource Selection Index outcomes reveal a strong affinity for forests, and reduced use of rangeland. Given the absence of protected areas in the study landscape and prevailing threats of habitat loss to agricultural expansion, livestock grazing, and roads development, we emphasize the urgency of identifying and connecting ideal habitat patches to ensure the conservation of the Himalayan brown bear in the Lahaul Valley and adjoining areas.