Denning Phenology, Den Substrate, and Reproductive Success of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea 1986-2013 and the Chukchi Sea 1987-1994 (ver 1.1, July 2021)

These data represent estimates of den entrance and exit dates for female polar bears in the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas based on temperature sensor data obtained from satellite collars. An algorithm described in Olson et al. (2017) was used to determine whether the female entered a den and further analyses using temperature data as described in Olson et al. (2017) were used to assess den entry and emergence dates. The algorithm used identified the denning period as that during which collar temperature remained consistently above a temperature threshold. As such, users of these data should be aware that bear behavior can affect den entrance and exit date. If a bear moves in and out of a den frequently, the algorithm identifies [...]