Human-carnivore conflicts have increased as habitat has been affected by development and climate change. Understanding how management-decisions affect the behaviour of animals may reduce conflicts. We examined how biological factors, sea ice conditions, and management decisions affected the autumn migratory movement of polar bears (<i>Ursus maritimus</i>) from 2016 to 2021 following their capture near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, and release after a mean of 20 days (SE 2) in a holding facility. We deployed eartag satellite transmitters on 63 bears (26 males, 37 females), with 49% adults (> 5 years old), 48% subadults (3-5 years old), and 3% < 2-years-old. We compared variation in on-ice departure of bears released post-conflict (conflict) to adult females without a conflict history (non-conflict). Conflict bears departed 89 km further north (mean = 59.7°N, SE 0.2) of non-conflict bears (mean = 58.9°N, SE 0.1). Bears released later during the migratory period were less likely to re-enter a community at a rate of 5.9-6.4% per day. Of 69 releases (6 individuals requiring multiple releases), 12 bears re-entered Churchill and 13 entered Arviat, Nunavut. We suggest that the holding facility was effective at preventing additional conflicts and individuals with a high likelihood of recidivism should be held longer.
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