Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Erin Edge, Rockies and Plains Associate

Grizzly family (Credit: Stephen Oachs)

Working on grizzly bear conflict issues for over 10 years has shown me a few things: First, grizzly bears are smart, and their sense of smell is phenomenal. If there is an available food resource around, they will find it.  Second, grizzly bears evoke emotion in humans. Almost everyone I talk to has some connection to just the idea of grizzly bears, and respecting all perspectives is part of finding real solutions to conflict. And finally, grizzly bears can recover, but only if we give them tolerance and safe access to wild, protected spaces. We must become responsible stewards of the lands we share. As Defenders’ Rockies and Plains Associate and point person on grizzly bear conservation, I draw on these three very simple ideas as I approach each day on the job, on the ground, working to keep the peace between humans and grizzlies.  One of the reasons I love my job is that I get to see real-world solutions stop grizzly bear mortalities from occurring.  This year was challenging, but rewarding.

An electric fence around a beehive can prevent a lot of trouble for grizzlies and humans alike.

The Northern Continental Divide grizzly bear population in Northwest Montana is on the road to recovery, and as the range expands, we face a rise in conflicts between people and grizzlies.  This is particularly true in areas where former bear habitat is now occupied by people and livestock. Chicken coops, fruit trees and garbage are powerful attractants for bears.  If a bear finds goodies at one location too often, they learn to expect food near human homes and property, often getting into trouble in the process, and potentially leading to the death of that bear.  The bear may also teach its young to access things like birdfeeders, garbage and chickens. Consequently, generations of bears could be at risk if attractants are left available.

Securing even one location can stop a grizzly bear from learning those behaviors and teaching other bears. To address this problem, we started an electric fence incentive program in 2010. Electric fencing is a highly effective tool for keeping bears out of trouble.  Our program reimburses people half of the cost (up to $500) of an electric fence installed around the trees, chicken coops, or other features on their property that might attract grizzly bears.  It’s been great to see the interest in this solution grow each year. In 2010 we completed six fences, then 12 fences in 2011, and then we completed a whopping 40 fences in 2012!  The people who participate in the program are also happy – they find a way to protect their homes, livestock or other property without threatening the bears:

Now I rest easy knowing that my trees and bears are safe. Thank you for your help. – Matt Dipaulo, 2012

We are a 4H family with pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits and horses, and young children. We had spoken often about an electric fence, however, couldn’t afford putting in a good solid one. I know Defenders of Wildlife sure helped us! – The Morris Family, 2012

Defenders also spearheads a variety of other coexistence projects to prevent conflicts between livestock and grizzlies. We assist ranchers with the costs of range riders, cost-share for livestock protection dogs and provide incentives to ranchers who voluntarily retire sheep grazing allotments that have a history of chronic livestock loss to grizzly bears. In fact, since we started this effort in 1997, Defenders has invested over $500,000 in more than 250 grizzly bear coexistence projects.

Additionally, Defenders’ Grizzly Bear Compensation Trust reimburses ranchers for the marketable cost of verified livestock losses to grizzly bears. In 2012 alone, Defenders of Wildlife paid over $89,000 to livestock producers through this program. Since 1997, Defenders has reimbursed ranchers over $370,000 for lost livestock. Working closely with ranchers minimizes grizzly bear deaths related to livestock depredations and improves tolerance. In a human dominated landscape, tolerance for grizzlies is critical to give them room to move, raise their cubs and reoccupy historic ranges. Grizzlies once roamed the Great Plains to the California coast, from Canada to Mexico. Today, populations still occupy less than 2% of their historic range.  The road to recovery is long and bumpy, but we are dedicated to working on the ground in order to ensure this iconic symbol of the American wilderness is recovered.

A grizzly bear heading for an apple tree. Photo courtesy of Bob Muth.

Imagine a giant plate of warm, cheesy pasta. Now imagine that you haven’t eaten in three days, and in order to get to the pasta you have to cross a busy highway, sneak past barking dogs and climb over a barbed wire fence.  Would you go for it? Maybe not. But if you were a 500-lb. grizzly bear getting ready to hibernate for five months, you wouldn’t think twice.

Backyard chickens and smelly garbage are a bear’s cheesy pasta. While grizzly bears that feed on tempting attractants like these may not be starving, their drive to gain weight is intense and frequently gets them into trouble. Should we blame the hungry bears for eating food that’s left out in the open? No, but the grizzly bear often pays with its life nonetheless.

Three grizzlies have died in less than two weeks in northwest Montana. Two were in the process of killing or attempting to kill chickens. Both were shot and killed by the homeowners.  The remains of a third grizzly were found and the cause of death is still under investigation.  Additionally, during the same time period, two male grizzly bears were captured and relocated.  The younger one had killed chickens and the other had killed turkeys. None of the homeowners had electric fencing installed to protect their poultry.

Electrified chicken coop.

Raising chickens and small livestock might be a good way to local, affordable, and sustainable food.  However, when living in bear country it is critical that chicken owners secure their chickens with electric fence. Electric fencing is relatively inexpensive, easy to use and the design can be flexible, depending on the situation.  A jolt from an electric fence is usually enough to teach a bear to keep their distance and deter it from returning.

For long-term grizzly bear recovery to be successful, we will have to find ways to coexist. That’s why Defenders continues working hard to increase tolerance on the lands where this great bear resides.  This year we implemented an electric fencing incentive program that has proven to be very effective at reducing conflicts between people and bears.

One of our project partners Bob Muth decided to install an electric fence recently after a grizzly bear paid his apple orchard a visit. Muth had this to say:

“There are things that cannot be put into words. And the aura surrounding a wild grizzly bear is at the top of the list. Grizzlies are mythical, mystical, and magnificent creatures. We are blessed to live in a place large enough and wise enough to be part of this breathtaking animal’s recovery from the road to extermination…thanks to farsighted conservationists and the Endangered Species Act. On a personal note, Laurie and I feel that a few destroyed fruit trees are a small price to pay to be able to witness the great bear’s return. However, with the help of Tim Manley (FWP) and Defenders of Wildlife, we have installed electric fencing around our farmstead and barnyard hoping to discourage the bears from becoming dependent of a food source that can only end badly for the bears.”

These incidents are a good reminder that a little fencing can go a long way. To make sure more grizzly bears aren’t killed unnecessarily, we must all do our part to secure food attractants, starting with what’s in our
own backyard.

by Haley McKey

Fall is finally here, and the change in season is sending Florida Black Bears a message, loud and clear:  “eat up while the getting’s good!”

It’s important to the safety of bears and people that they avoid communities and stick to their natural diet of fruit, nuts and acorns.

There’s a great variety of nuts, fruits and seeds in the Florida countryside for bears to snack on (lots of acorns, not to mention the occasional treat of honey and larvae from beehives).  But bears instinctively look for the greatest calorie reward for the least effort, at this time of year especially.  Unfortunately, in suburban areas that often means pet food and trash.

Fortunately, there’s a great opportunity to learn how to bear-proof your property in Florida this weekend.   The Forgotten Coast Black Bear Festival is coming to Carrabelle, Florida on October 6, and will hold workshops on living with bears, along with presentations by bear experts and guided hikes with a bear biologist.  There are plenty of fun activities for kids and families too: live music, vendors and exhibits, and a Procession of the Species Parade!  Click here to learn more.  You can also see some examples of ways to bear-proof your property here.

Making sure we don’t leave items out around our homes that attract bears helps keep both bears and people safe and assures bears are foraging on their natural wild foods.  Bear-proofing is a community effort, since just one home with unsecured trash can create risk for the rest of the neighborhood.  That’s why festivals and events like the Forgotten Coast Black Bear Festival are important: they bring people together to learn about, as well as celebrate, the unique wildlife they share their state with.

Learn more about what Defenders is doing to help wildlife and people coexist.

Imagine you’re a bear. You’ve spent most of your life ambling through the forest, munching on green plants and scrumptious insects, taking care of your family, just minding your own business. Then one day you decide you want to scout out better berry bushes on the other side of the valley and…WHAMMO! You’re roadkill.

A black bear sow and her cubs make their way through a wildlife passage...

Welcome to the world of wildlife and roads. Each year, millions of animals are killed along our roadways while moving across America’s fragmented landscape. Many species cover considerable distances to reach their winter range, breeding grounds, watering holes, seasonal food sources and the like. To do so, they must navigate a perilous maze of roads, human settlements, and other human-influenced challenges.

So what can people do to help wildlife through the barriers we have put in their way? There are many approaches taken to try to reduce animal-vehicle collisions, including better driver education, improved signage, reduced speed limits, and many other possibilities. Yet research has shown that the most successful tool to reduce roadkill and increase connectivity across a highway is to add a wildlife underpass (tunnel) or overpass (bridge), coupled with wildlife fencing that funnels an animal into these structures.

This is just what has been built not far from my community in northwestern Montana starting in 2006. Along a 56-mile stretch of highway that cuts across the Flathead Indian Reservation, the Montana Department of Transportation, due to the leadership of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes, built 41 fish and wildlife crossing structures, 16 miles of wildlife fencing, 58 jump-outs (opportunities for wildlife to jump out of the fenced roadway if they get stuck there), and many wildlife crossing guards (think cattle guards for wildlife to deter access onto the highway at driveway entrances).

Defenders of Wildlife has been helping to spread the word about the value of these tools through the People’s Way Partnership, in cooperation with the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University, and Montana Department of Transportation. The partnership came together to give the public accurate and interesting information about the importance and effectiveness of the wildlife crossings. We get the word out by talking to local communities and kids, providing posters and brochures and a website, and sharing the multitude of photos taken by motion-activated cameras documenting numerous species using the structures. We’ve also held a fantastically fun and successful Safe Passages for Wildlife Art Contest, where we gave presentations to over 950 students on the Flathead Indian Reservation and Missoula, who then gave us the gift of magical posters related to wildlife and the structures.