One of the most interesting and controversial topics we face as conservationists is the management of the grizzly bear. Unfortunately for us, grizzly bear management is 100% political. The lawsuits based on the emotions of environmental groups resulting in federal judges striking down management plans based on facts and numbers has grown increasingly frustrating. Hunting seasons were in place for fall of 2018 after management plans were approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These were blocked by Missoula Federal Judge, Dana Christensen. Later that year multiple bear attacks occurred, one resulting in the death of Mark Uptain near Jackson, Wyoming. Since then, attacks and near fatal maulings have increased, yet the opposition claims there aren’t enough bears, like the 50,000 like Lewis and Clark conservatively suggested and/or that the populations are not continuous up and down the historic range.
Grizzly bear encounters are on the rise and bears are showing up in places that they haven’t been seen in before. So far the spring of 2020 has been no different. There have been four grizzly bear attacks in Wyoming and Montana. Luckily, none have been fatal. Encountering a grizzly bear in the woods was once considered rare but now it has turned into a common occurrence in core grizzly bear habitat. But the bears are venturing beyond their “core habitat” and paying the price for it.
In 2018 alone, a sow and two cubs were caught and euthanized near Byron, Wyoming which is described as “way outside” the core grizzly bear habitat area by Game and Fish Regional Wildlife Supervisor Dan Smith. This is one of the many examples of grizzly bear incidents from 2018, which saw 64 documented grizzly bear deaths in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. 45 of those fatalities were “problem bears” which were euthanized. The same year, at least 51 grizzly deaths resulted in the Northern Rockies Ecosystem. Fatalities were from a combination of vehicle collisions, euthanizations, and documented deaths of natural causes. My point? That’s a lot of bears!
Grizzlies have been federally protected since 1975 under the Endangered Species Act. In 2017, the grizzly was removed from the endangered species list and then Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke declared that the population had “rebounded from as few as 136 bears in 1975 to an estimated 700 today and meets all the criteria for delisting.” 700 is a minimum estimate for the immediate Yellowstone area but the grizzly’s range is a far larger expanse than that.
This is very interesting to me and left me scratching my head on how many bears there really are out West since the actual number is not known and backed by hard facts as grizzly bears are probably the hardest animal to get an accurate count on due to the nature of their habits and the fact they are solitary.
