Taylor Peltier, Utah State University

Regulated hunting and shifting public attitudes toward black bears (Ursus americanus) have facilitated the species’ recovery across many regions of the United States. In Michigan’s lower peninsula, bear abundance has increased by roughly 70% in the last ten years. Although this recovery represents a conservation success, the continued expansion of bears, combined with changes in human demographics, has contributed to rising frequency and severity of human–bear conflicts. Fostering human-bear coexistence requires bridging the ecological and social factors that shape relationships with bears. To address this need, we developed a multi-mode survey to collect information from residents on aspects that may affect human-bear coexistence including attitudes, normative bear population beliefs, wildlife value orientations and support for bear management actions. We administered surveys to 12,000 residents across Michigan’s northern lower peninsula using a stratified sampling design along a rural–urban gradient. We paired these data with 408 bear genetic samples collected by wire corrals, rub trees, and scat to map bear density across the region. Through combined social and ecological analyses, we identified high conflict risk areas to target outreach and education efforts. This work provides a framework for evidence-based improvements in human–bear coexistence using social and ecological data.