Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Erin Edge, Rocky Mountain Regional Associate

What’s in store for grizzlies in the lower 48? After more than 30 years of protection under the Endangered Species Act, there are an estimated 1600-1700 grizzly bears south of the Canadian border. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other land and wildlife management agencies have made significant progress restoring grizzly bears to a portion of their historic range. But much remains to be accomplished to assure our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy and appreciate this noble symbol of America’s natural heritage.

Map of grizzly bear recovery areas, courtesy of USFWS.

Currently, the majority of grizzly bears can be found in just two major ecosystems with the rest scattered across much smaller subpopulations. Here’s a quick breakdown of all grizzly bear populations found in the lower 48:

• The 9,600-square mile Northern Continental Divide ecosystem (NCDE) in Montana includes Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and is home to an estimated 900-1,000 grizzly bears. This population is relatively stable and has continued to increase slightly each year.
• The 9,200-square mile greater Yellowstone ecosystem (GYE) includes Yellowstone National Park and an estimated 600 to 700 grizzly bears. This population appears to have stabilized at current levels.
• The 2,200-square mile Selkirk ecosystem in northeastern Washington, northern Idaho and southern Canada has fewer than 100 grizzly bears with a slight increase each year.
• The 2,600-square mile Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem in northwestern Montana and northern Idaho has fewer than 50 grizzly bears. This population continues to decline slightly each year, but the decline appears to be tapering off.
• The 9,500-square mile North Cascades ecosystem in Washington has fewer than 20 grizzly bears and very little is known about them. In order to recover this population, grizzly bears will likely need to be added to the area from other populations.
• The 5,600-square mile Bitterroot ecosystem that straddles western Montana and central Idaho is currently void of grizzly bears but has been identified as containing excellent bear habitat and is key to connecting the GYE and NCDE populations.

The long-term survival of any species depends on the number and size of individual sub-populations, survival rates of each and connectivity between populations – the larger and more connected, the better the bears can withstand natural disasters, disease or extreme food shortages. For example, the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem is currently  disconnected from the larger and more robust NCDE population. That’s why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state agencies are moving bears from the NCDE to the Cabinet-Yaak in an effort to save this population. This is desperately needed for the isolated North Cascades population as well, but politics has delayed grizzly bear augmentations here.

Securing quality habitat, improving human tolerance and minimizing conflicts between grizzly bears and people, particularly on private lands within or between identified recovery areas, will continue to be an ongoing challenge. But by working together, we can make sure that grizzly bears have safe passage to move across the landscape, thereby improving genetic diversity and boosting bear populations in more vulnerable ecosystems.

To that end, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released its draft Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy. The strategy is intended to guide the management of grizzly bears and habitat protections on public lands after federal Endangered Species Act protections are removed. Among other things, the strategy would create a Primary Conservation Area, three additional management zones, and two Demographic Connectivity Areas. This geographic arrangement is designed to maintain a stable core population while providing varying degrees of protection in key linkage areas to encourage bears to disperse.

The Service has also proposed revisions to the Greater Yellowstone Recovery Plan that may change future population estimates. The GYE is the most isolated population in the lower 48 and has been hovering close to federal recovery objectives for several years. It is critical that bears in this population are able to expand into secure habitats that will once again link them with the more genetically diverse NCDE population and/or other grizzly bear populations.

As we close out Bear Awareness Week, we would like to celebrate the significant efforts put into grizzly bear recovery. It was humans that drove bears from an estimated 50,000 animals to fewer than 1,000 bears over approximately 170 years. And it is humans that must bring them back. Grizzly bears are the second slowest reproducing land mammal in North America, so recovery will not happen overnight. However, multiple conservation groups, local communities and agencies are dedicating efforts to ensure a place for grizzly bears in the lower 48 states.

The future of grizzly bears remains uncertain, but as Abraham Lincoln said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” Together with our partners, we will continue to work one day at a time to minimize grizzly bear deaths and improve social tolerance through continued outreach and on-the-ground coexistence projects.

Erin Edge, Rockies and Plains Associate

In the spring of 2009, two grizzly bears named Rainy and Scarhip were seen frolicking through fields and across highways. Soon thereafter, both bears were captured near Seeley Lake, Montana and fitted with tracking collars. To have any chance of survival, Rainy and Scarhip would have to avoid a variety of temptations, including garbage cans, birdfeeders, and chicken coops – all containing delicious snacks for a hungry bear.

A grizzly bear roams into an apple orchard.

Needless to say, the outlook was not good, and Scarhip was getting into people’s yards almost immediately. But food attractants aren’t the only threat to grizzly bears, and in October of 2009, Scarhip was mistakenly shot and killed by a black hear hunter. Meanwhile, Rainy stayed out of trouble all summer long before heading to her den north of Lake Alva. The following spring she emerged with two cubs and spent the next few months in the Placid Lake area. Then, suddenly, on July 14th, she was documented near Seeley Lake again, feeding on garbage, grain, bird seed and dog food. Females with cubs need as many calories as they can find, and Rainy had hit the jackpot.

That was the beginning of the end for Rainy. Before long, she and her cubs were climbing onto porches, damaging buildings and approaching people. Due to escalating concerns for human safety, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks decided to trap all three bears. But it was too late — one of Rainy’s cubs was hit by a car crossing Highway 83. A month later, FWP trapped Rainy and her remaining cub and sent them to a zoo in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Sadly, the cub died a year later from a rare fungal infection, while Rainy still remains at the zoo.

The saddest part of the story, however, is that the loss of these bears was almost entirely avoidable. Simple solutions like electric fencing are highly effective at securing attractants like bee yards, apple orchards, lambing pastures, chicken coops and compost piles. Other successful deterrents include bear-resistant garbage enclosures and using livestock guard dogs, range riders and alternative grazing methods.

Some of these tools can be expensive, but there are resources available to help residents protect their property and prevent conflict. For example, Defenders of Wildlife started a program in 2010 to help pay for smaller fencing projects. So far the program has secured 58 sites in Montana and helped save grizzly bears.

Electric fencing around bear attractants like chicken coops can make a big difference.

Take the Morris family, for instance. They’re a 4-H family from northwest Montana with pigs, goats, sheep and chickens. Last year, the Morrises routinely had grizzly bears on their property and had Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks on “speed dial.” They wanted to install a sturdy electric fence but didn’t think they could afford one. FWP directed the Morrises to our incentive program, which helped pay for installing the fence they wanted — a win-win solution for both bears and people. The Morrises finished their electric fence last October and are expecting local wildlife residents to be quite “shocked” when they come around this spring.

Since 1997, Defenders of Wildlife has also been compensating ranchers for livestock losses to grizzly bears. This year, Montana will take this program over through the state’s Livestock Loss Board. Though not a perfect solution, compensation programs help mitigate the financial impact on ranchers and their families. But compensation only addresses conflicts after the damage has already been done. It’s far better to find ways to prevent conflicts from occurring in the first place. And on the rare occasions when these tools aren’t enough, wildlife managers need the flexibility to relocate or remove grizzly bears that are deemed a serious threat to humans.

Aldo Leopold, the grandfather of wildlife conservation, once wrote, “Relegating grizzlies to Alaska is about like relegating happiness to heaven; one may never get there.”

By the late 1800s, this became a real fear. An estimated population of 50,000 grizzly bears plummeted to just a few hundred in less than one percent of their historic range. Fortunately, grizzly bears were protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1975 and have been making a strong comeback ever since. Today, there are approximately 1,700 grizzly bears in the lower 48. Most of us have welcomed these magnificent creatures back to our landscape. But it will take concerted efforts by all of us living in grizzly country to ensure continued recovery of the species. Ultimately, the fate of grizzly bears in Montana and across the West still rests in our hands.

I hope grizzlies are never relegated to Alaska nor happiness to heaven. And hopefully, by working together, we can ensure that our children and grandchildren can continue to find both right here in Montana.

To learn more about what you can do to coexist with grizzly bears, visit defenders.org/GotGrizzlies.

Originally published by Montana Public Radio

Happy Bear Awareness Week, everyone! To kick things off this year, I thought I’d share a story about what inspired me to get involved with fighting to protect grizzly bears in Montana.

My first bear encounter

In the late ‘90s, I was working in Yellowstone National Park as a waitress, a city girl inexperienced about wilderness. Wildlife, in my mind, consisted only of the opossums, deer, raccoons and squirrels that had frequented my neighborhood in Missouri. Little did I know, my summer job would forever change my conception of wildlife – and my entire life.

A family moment. (Photo Credit: Stephen Oachs)

One sunny day I set out on a hike with friends into Hayden Valley. The grass was as tall as me, gold and thick, and bison grazed in every direction. Suddenly, we noticed a grizzly bear off in the distance. My instinct was to run in the opposite direction, and I actually did briefly until a friend asked where I was going. Sheepishly, I stopped. We took out our binoculars and the grizzly stood up, her coat gleaming in the afternoon sun. Then, the small brown head of bear cub popped out of the grass. Finally, a third grizzly bear emerged, slightly larger than the little cub. Three grizzlies! At once, all three bears dropped into the tall grass and disappeared.

Media headlines were racing though my head: “Female grizzly attacks hikers to defend her cubs!” I was horrified and certain that she was going to pop up right in front of us—a mad, mama bear—but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Soon, she reappeared farther off, near a wet, muddy hole. She lay down on her back watching the other two roll in the mud.

In that exact moment I was forever changed. All the information I had received about bears through movies, TV and news articles was inaccurate and sensational. This was beyond a doubt, what we humans like to call a “family moment.” The cubs were playing while mom soaked up some sunshine. I knew I had to better educate myself about bears and that I needed to share what I learned.

Helping people and grizzlies coexist

This moment comes to mind every spring when bears emerge from hibernation and we start gearing up for our summer field season. For the past 10 years, I’ve been working to promote tolerance and find ways for humans and grizzlies to coexist. My job is to make sure that people are doing their part to secure attractants so that bears can keep themselves out of trouble and continue to thrive on the landscape.

Me and Russ doing grizzly bear outreach in Missoula, Mont.

My colleague Russ Talmo and I got started early this year by participating in several workshops and outreach events. This included talking about raising chickens in bear country at two Montana Pastured Poultry Workshops hosted by the National Center for Appropriate Technology in cooperation with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. We also set up remote cameras at a lambing pasture on the Rocky Mountain Front and, while we didn’t catch any bears, we do have footage of a coyote, a skunk, raccoons and lots of sheep.

Right now grizzlies are out of their dens looking for food such as glacier lilies, spring grasses  and deer and elk that have died over the winter. But anthropogenic attractants like garbage, birdfeeders, livestock, bees and chickens can quickly lure a winter-starved grizzly. To help keep bears away from these potential food sources, Defenders started an Electric Fencing Incentive program three years ago that reimburses residents 50% of the cost of an electric fence around a bear attractant. Between 2010 and 2012 we completed 58 fences. This year our goal is to complete another 50 fencing projects, and we are well on our way with over 25 people signed up already to participate.  Additionally, we are working with livestock producers on larger electric fence projects, range rider programs and helping to purchase livestock guard dogs.

I’ll keep you posted as our field season gets under way. We have lots of coexistence projects to complete and lots of great stories to share from our partners, so stay tuned!

©Eyeliam/Flickr

Anderson Shepard, Conservation Planning Associate

Instead of wilderness and wildlife, could visitors to Glacier National Park soon be passing fields of wine grapes as they drive up to the gate? Not long ago, I helped author a study that suggests that by 2050, this could very well be the case. In the paper, titled “Climate Change, Wine, and Conservation” and published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), we looked at how rising temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns are affecting the delicate balance of temperature and moisture – the primary elements for growing high-quality wine grapes.

This map shows how the change in wine-producing country will overlap with wolf habitat. ©Anderson Shepard

Using climate models and an analysis of the current distribution, temperature and moisture requirements of high-quality wine grape varieties, we project that climate change will shrink the area suitable for wine production in some of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world, while opening up wine production in some unusual places. Alarmingly, we found that climate change could soon drive a massive expansion of agriculture into some of the most intact wildlife habitat in the U.S., impacting dozens of species.

Although I performed this research before coming to Defenders, its message is still wildlife-focused. Agriculture can be a huge driver of habitat loss and degradation, and Defenders has spent an enormous amount of time and energy advocating for policies and actions that would promote habitat conservation and coexistence between farmers, ranchers and wildlife, putting solutions in place to protect animals like bears and wolves. Climate change threatens to take this issue to a whole new level. Not only will it change the biophysical landscape and cause shifts in the existing natural assemblages of plants and animals, but, as this paper shows, it is expected to open a great deal of new land to agriculture, causing more natural areas to be developed and more wildlife habitat to be broken into pieces.

Canada lynx, ©Ken Curtis

The Northern Rockies is a region where we focus much of our work at Defenders. The region is flush with extensive tracts of wildlands, and it is the last remaining area in the Lower 48 that hosts a complete set of large carnivores – one of the few places you can find animals like bears, wolves, lynx and bobcats all together. Our study found that between 2000 and 2050, the land in the Northern Rockies suitable for viticulture (growing grapes for wine) will increase by more than 58 million acres. The next 50 years will likely be a trying period for species such as the Canada lynx, gray wolf and grizzly bear – these species are likely to see vineyards popping up all over their range over the next few decades. Wolves attempting to roam across long-established territory will find acres of it replaced with land that is useless to them. Bears, often captured or killed when caught taking advantage of orchards or other fruit crops, will be sorely tempted to wander into new vineyards looking for a meal, only to put themselves in danger. Combine that with the region’s continuing surge in development, and we see impacts on a scale that could dramatically alter these species’ ability to thrive in the region.

Grizzly bear, ©Michael S. Quinton, National Geographic stock

We could see these impacts on an even broader scale if the shift in lands suitable for vineyards also holds true for other agricultural crops. This could put even more species in danger, caught between a changing climate and the ever- expanding human footprint on the land. For the conservation community, the key is to spot these issues early on and help the relevant industries to plan carefully so that we can minimize the damage to wildlife. In fact, this is already happening in some regions where wine growers are working closely with conservationists to confront the environmental, cultural and economic challenges posed by a changing climate. It is up to individuals and organizations like us to ensure a future for wildlife despite the challenges of a changing climate.

You can read more on this study in The New York Times, CBS News and The Guardian.
You can also read the full report at PNAS.

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.

Erin Edge, Rockies and Plains Associate

The Flathead Reservation, composed of 1.3 million acres in northwest Montana, is situated at the base of the Mission Mountains and is home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), which includes the Salish, Pend d’Oreille and Kootenai Tribes. On the eastern side of the Flathead, the majestic Mission mountain range rises up with its tall, snow-capped peaks, lush avalanche chutes, wetlands and mountain lakes. Amidst such varied habitats, the Flathead Reservation is home to grizzly bears, wolves, peregrine falcons, elk, bighorn sheep, fisher, lynx, wolverine and myriad other wildlife species.

“Although each of the Tribes on the Reservation possess distinctive beliefs and practices, the people share one important similarity: Tribal people value the Earth — its air, water, and land — as the foundation of Indian culture…The Tribes believe everything in nature is embodied with a spirit. The spirits are woven tightly together to form a sacred whole (the Earth). Changes, even subtle changes that affect one part of this web affect other parts.”
- Excerpt from the Flathead Reservation’s Comprehensive Resources Plan

These Confederated Tribes have a long history of working in support of their deep respect for this connection with nature. In 1982, when the Tribal Council defined the Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness Management Plan, it was the first time in the United States that a Tribal government had decided to protect lands as wilderness. Along with this significant achievement, the Tribal Council established a special Grizzly Bear Management Zone. This area, which covers approximately 10,000 acres, is critical to grizzlies while they feed on insects — a rich and vital source of protein — from mid-July to early October, and is completely closed to human activity during these months.

The grizzly’s hump distinguishes it from black bears

Grizzly bears are a keystone predator, meaning they have a top-down effect on entire ecosystems. Through their scat, bears help disperse seeds throughout a region, which helps the ecosystem’s vegetation spread. Bears can also help limit the population density of certain animals like deer, elk and other ungulates by preying on them. This keeps populations in balance with other species and prevents these types of animals, which feed on foliage and other vegetation, from overgrazing the area. Just as grizzly bears need intact ecosystems to survive, these ecosystems need grizzly bears to help keep them healthy. In 1975, grizzlies were listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Due to protections under the ESA and efforts of agencies like the CSKT, grizzly bear populations in the lower 48 are now estimated at 1,400-1,600 bears and are expanding into historic ranges. Things can get a little tricky, however, when balancing a recovering grizzly population with rapid human development.

Land ownership in the Flathead valley bottom is complex, full of residential areas, towns, agricultural lands and an extremely busy highway, creating a daily challenge to tribal biologists who routinely answer human-grizzly conflict calls. The largest threat to grizzly bear recovery is human-related mortalities. For example, chickens are an increasingly popular backyard sustainable food item. In grizzly country, chickens are an enticing treat that can lure the bears into an area they may have otherwise avoided. Grizzlies that receive a “food reward” like this often return to the same location, or may even search out similar food at other locations, leading to a bear that is food-conditioned and comfortable around human activity. These bears may do things that lead management agencies to believe they are a human safety concern, like paying frequent visits to people’s homes. Sadly, these bears are often either relocated or euthanized if a zoo cannot be found to take them. Sometimes they can be killed by homeowners who perceive them as a threat. More often than not, something as simple as an electric fence can prevent these conflicts from occurring.

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

In an effort to combat the escalating conflicts between grizzlies and people, tribal biologists work tirelessly to address these threats by encouraging people to use nonlethal tools like electric fences and bear-resistant garbage containers. Recently, the CSKT has offered these bear-resistant containers free of charge to residents on the Mission front. They also actively purchase and protect lands to try to secure the remaining suitable habitat for grizzly bears in the valley bottom.

We are happy to be working with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to assist with these efforts to provide electric fencing incentives and outreach and education to residents. This region provides a connective corridor to other grizzly bear recovery areas such as the southern Bitterroot ecosystem, and the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem to the west, so it is vital to the long-term recovery of grizzlies.

In the coming year, we will continue to work with our partners to promote the use of electric fencing through workshops, one-on-one assistance with setup and design, and an incentive program. We will also be working closely with biologists to identify new approaches to reduce conflicts between wildlife and humans or livestock. While there is much yet to be done, it is heartening to work in an area where wildlife and wild places are honored and appreciated, and where the road to coexistence seems a little bit brighter.