Aversive Conditioning Black Bear to Honey Utilizing Lithium Chloride

Seven caged black bear (Ursus americanus) were fed granular lithium chloride mixed in honey. At the maximum dosage (SOg dissolved in .91 of honey) and minimum dosage (20gl.91) ingestation resulted in sickness. A single treatment resulted in six of the treated bears being conditioned to refuse to eat pure honey for periods varying from 15 to 220 days. One bear continued to relish pure honey and exhibited no aversion