Publications – Garth Mowat

Last updated on December 1, 2023

Garth is the large carnivore specialist studying, among other animals, grizzly and brown bear and wolverine.

Position Title: Large Carnivore Specialist

Contact: B.C. Government Directory

Current research projects

  • Demography of grizzly bears
  • Demography and habitat preferences of wolverine
  • Evaluating harvest regimes for cougar in B.C.
  • Estimating diet of carnivores using stable isotopes and elemental analysis

Publications

Listed in order of publication date:

2021 to present:

2022:

Sharlow. T, J. Van Elslander, G. Mowat. 2022. The influence of human disturbance on salmon in the diet of black bears in two areas of coastal British Columbia. Target Journal Canadian Journal of Zoology 100: 401–417. dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2021-0198

Mowat, G., L. Vander Vennen et al. 2022. An Evaluation of the Accuracy of Licensed Wolf Harvest Data and the Correlation with Population Trends in British Columbia. Province of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada. Technical Report 137.

2021:

Hilderbrand, G. and Mowat, G.. 2021. Climate change, warming oceans, and potential cascading ecologic impacts to brown bears. International Bear News. 30(2):24-25.

2016 to 2020:

2020:

  • Lamb, C. T., A. Ford, B. N. McLellan, M. F. Proctor, G. Mowat, L. Ciarniello, S. Nielsen, S. Boutin 2020. The ecology of human–carnivore coexistence. Proceedings of National Academy of Science 117: 17876-17883. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922097117

2019:

  • Proctor, M. F., B. N. McLellan, G. B. Stenhouse, G. Mowat, C. T. Lamb, and M. Boyce. 2019. Effects of roads and motorized human access on grizzly bear populations in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Ursus 30e2:16-39. doi.org/10.2192/URSUS-D-18-00016.2
  • Mowat, G., A. T. Clevenger, A. Kortello, D. Hausleitner, M. Berruto, C. T. Lamb, B. Dorsey, P. Ott. 2019. The sustainability of human-caused mortality of wolverine in southern Canada. Journal of Wildlife Management 83(8):1–14. doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21787
  • Lamb, C. T., A. T. Ford, M. F. Proctor, J. A. Royle, G. Mowat, and S. Boutin. 2019. Genetic tagging in the Anthropocene: scaling ecology from alleles to ecosystems. Ecological Applications 29(4):e01876. doi:10.1002/eap.1876
  • Kortello, A., D. Hausleitner, G. Mowat. 2019. Mechanisms influencing wolverine winter occupancy in in the southern Columbia Mountains, Canada. Wildlife Biology 2019:1-1 https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00480

2018:

  • Hatter, I. W., G. Mowat and B. N. McLellan. 2018. Statistical population reconstruction to evaluate grizzly bear population trends in British Columbia, Canada. Ursus 29:1-13.doi https://doi.org/10.2192/URSUS-D-18-00001.1
  • Lamb, C. T., G. Mowat, A. Reid, L. Smit, M. Proctor, B. N. McLellan, S. E. Nielsen, S. Boutin. 2018. Effects of habitat quality and access management on the density of a recovering grizzly bear population. Journal of Applied Ecology: 2018; 00:1406-1417. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13056
  • McLellan, B. N., G. Mowat and C. T. Lamb. 2018. Estimating Unrecorded Human-Caused Mortalities of Grizzly Bears in the Flathead Valley, British Columbia, Canada. PeerJ 6:e5781. DOI 10.7717/peerj.5781
  • Proctor, M. F., B. N. McLellan, G. B. Stenhouse, G. Mowat, C. T. Lamb, and M. Boyce. 2018. Resource Roads and Grizzly Bears in British Columbia and Alberta. Canadian Grizzly Bear Management Series, Resource Road Management. Trans-border Grizzly Bear Project. Kaslo, BC. Canada http://transbordergrizzlybearproject.ca/research/publications.html.

2017:

  • Mowat, G., C. T. Lamb, L. Smit, and A. Reid. 2017. The relationships among road density, habitat quality, and grizzly bear population density in the Kettle-Granby area of British Columbia. Province of BC, Victoria, BC, Extension Note 120. www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/En/En120.htm
  • Mowat, G., P. J. Curtis, D. J. R. Lafferty. 2017. The influence of sulfur and hair growth on stable isotope diet estimates for grizzly bears. PLoS ONE 12(3): e0172194. https://doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0172194
  • Serrouya, R., B. N. McLellan, H. van Oort, G. Mowat, S. Boutin, 2017. Experimental moose reduction lowers wolf density and stops decline of endangered caribou. PeerJ e3108v1. DOI 10.7717/peerj.3736
  • Lamb, C. T., G. Mowat, B. N. McLellan, S. E. Neilsen, S. Boutin, 2017. Forbidden fruit: Human settlement and abundant fruit create an ecological trap for an apex omnivore. Journal of Applied Ecology 86:55-65. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.12589
  • Lamb, C. T., G. Mowat, S. Gilbert, B. N. McLellan, S. E. Nielsen, S. Boutin, 2017. Density-dependent signaling: An alternative hypothesis on the function of chemical signaling in a non-territorial solitary carnivore. PLos ONE 12(10) e0184176. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0184176

2016:

  • Mowat, G. and C. T. Lamb. 2016. Population status of the South Rockies and Flathead grizzly bear populations in British Columbia, 2006-2014. Progress Report. BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations-Kootenay Region, Nelson.
  • Lamb, C. T., D. A. Walsh and G. Mowat. 2016. Factors influencing detection success of grizzly bears at genetic sampling sites. Ursus 27:31-44. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2192/Ursus-D-15-00025.1
  • McLellan, B., G. Mowat, A. Hamilton and I. Hatter. 2016. Sustainability of the grizzly bear hunt in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Wildlife Management 81:218-229.

2011 to 2015:

2015:

  • Lafferty D. J. R., M. L. Laudenslager, G. Mowat, D. Heard, J. L. Belant, 2015. Sex, diet and the social environment: factors effecting hair cortisol concentration in black bears. PLos ONE 10(11): e0141489. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141489

2014:

  • Efford, M. and G. Mowat. 2014. Compensatory heterogeneity in spatially explicit capturerecapture data. Ecology 95:1341–1348.

2013:

  • Mowat, G., D. C. Heard and C. J. Schwarz. 2013. Predicting grizzly bear density in western North America. PLos ONE. 8(12): e82757.
  • Efford, M., D. Borchers and G. Mowat. 2013. Varying effort in capture-recapture studies. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 4: 629-636.
  • Stent, P., K. G. Poole, I Adams and G. Mowat. 2013. A Population Review of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in the Kootenay Region. Final Report, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations-Kootenay Region, Nelson.
  • Stent, P., K. G. Poole, I Adams and G. Mowat. 2013. A Population Review of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in the Kootenay Region. Final Report, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations-Kootenay Region, Nelson.

2012:

  • Proctor, M.F., D. Paetkau, B.N. McLellan, G.B. Stenhouse, K.C. Kendall, R. Mace, W.F. Kasworm, C. Servheen, C.L. Lausen, M.L. Gibeau, W.L. Wakkinen, M.A. Haroldson, G. Mowat, C.D. Apps, L.M. Ciarniello, R.M.R. Barclay, M.S. Boyce, C.C. Schwartz, and C. Strobeck. 2012. Population fragmentation and inter-ecosystem movements of grizzly bears in western Canada and the northern United States. Wildlife Monographs 180(1):1-46 [Link]

2011:

  • Poole, K. G., D. M. Reynolds, G. Mowat and D. Paetkau. 2011. Estimating mountain goat abundance using DNA from fecal pellets. Journal of Wildlife Management 75: 1527-1524.
  • Proctor, M., D. Paetkau, B. McLellan, G. Stenhouse, K. Kendall, R. Mace, W. Kasworm, C. Servheen, C. Lausen, M. Gibeau, and G. Mowat. 2011. Population fragmentation and interecosystem movements of grizzly bears in western Canada and the northern USA. Wildlife Monographs No 180.

2006 to 2010:

2010:

  • O’Donoghue, M., B. G. Slough, K. G. Poole, S. Boutin, E. J. Hofer, G. Mowat and C. J. Krebs. 2010. Cyclical dynamics and behavoir of Canada lynx in northern Canada. in D. W. MacDonald and A. J. Loveridge eds. Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids. Oxford University Press.
  • Proctor, M., B. McLellan, J. Boulanger, C. Apps, G. Stenhouse, D. Paetkau, and G. Mowat. 2010. Ecological investigations of grizzly bears in Canada using DNA from hair, 1995-2005: a review of methods and progress. Ursus 21(2):169-188 [Link]
  • Proctor, M., B. N. McLellan, J. Boulanger, C. Apps, G. Stenhouse, D. Paetkau and G. Mowat. 2010. Ecological investigations of grizzly bears in Canada using DNA from hair, 1995-2005: a review of methods and progress. Ursus 21:169-188.
  • O’Donoghue, M., B. G. Slough, K. G. Poole, S. Boutin, E. J. Hofer, G. Mowat and C. J. Krebs. 2010. Cyclical dynamics and behavoir of Canada lynx in northern Canada. in D. W. MacDonald and A. J. Loveridge eds. Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids. Oxford University Press.
  • Szkorupa, T. and G. Mowat. 2010. A population review for elk in the Kootenay Region. Unpublished report, BC Ministry of Environment, Nelson.

2009:

  • van Oort, H., C. Gaynor, C. Bird, G. Mowat, L. DeGroot. 2009. Winter Carnivore Surveys in the Kootenay’s Mountain Caribou Recovery Areas: Winter 2007/2008. Progress Report, BC Ministry of Environment, Nelson.
  • Mowat, G. and Kuzyk, G. 2009. Mule deer and white-tailed deer population review for the Kootenay Region of British Columbia. Final Report, BC Ministry of Environment, Nelson.
  • van Oort, H., C. Gaynor, C. Bird, G. Mowat, L. DeGroot. 2009. Winter Carnivore Surveys in the Kootenay’s Mountain Caribou Recovery Areas: Winter 2007/2008. Progress Report, BC Ministry of Environment, Nelson

2007:

  • Mowat, G. 2007. Large carnivore population review for the Kootenay Region. Unpublished report, BC Ministry of Environment, Nelson.

2006:

  • Mowat, G. 2006. Multi-scale winter habitat associations of marten in interior wet-belt forests. Wildlife Biology 12:51-61.
  • Mowat, G. and D. C. Heard. 2006. Major components of grizzly bear diet across North America. Canadian Journal of Zoology 84:473-489.

2000 to 2005:

2005:

  • Mowat, G., D.C. Heard, D.R. Seip, K.G. Poole, G. Stenhouse, and D.W. Paetkau. 2005. Grizzly Ursus arctos and black bear U. americanus densities in the interior mountains of North America. Wildlife Biology 11(1):31-48. [Link]