The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP)

Mark your calendar - Cougars of the Pacific Northwest

2010-01-23T07:05:00.000-08:00

Join Brian Kertson, wildlife scientist, for a presentation on the ecology, behavior and management of cougars. Thursday, February 4 at 7 pm. Click on the flyer to enlarge for details.

These big cats are solitary and secretive. Learn how to recognize signs in the field and how to co-exist with cougars.

Protection For Yellowstone Grizzlies Continues

2010-01-11T16:22:00.000-08:00

In the back-and-forth volley over grizzly bear protection in the Yellowstone National Park ecosystem, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy reinstated Threatened species protection for the bears under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on November 17, 2009. Two years earlier the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had de-listed the grizzlies in Yellowstone, saying the population had recovered and no longer needed federal protection. In September 2009, Judge Molloy ordered the bears back on Threatened status sighting that decrease in food sources such as white bark pine seeds (from climate change among other things), and lax state management regulations put the bear’s survival in jeopardy.

The November ruling puts to rest an appeal by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to release the bear from federal ESA protection. The appeal was supported by Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department as well as U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo and John Barrasso, R-Wyo and Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. "To be honest, our concern up to this point was whether bear numbers in Wyoming were getting too big," said Wyoming governor Dave Freudenthal. Yellowstone grizzly numbers are estimated at about 600, up from 200 when the bears were originally listed in 1975.

“It is good that we have more bears,” said Louisa Willcox, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Wild Bears Project. “But even the federal government’s own computer models aren’t optimistic about the bears’ fate a century from now.” Several disturbing trends are coming together, she said. While housing and energy development in the counties surrounding Yellowstone are accelerating, key food sources (ungulate meat, whitebark pine nuts, cutthroat trout and army cutworm moths) are threatened and/or declining. This one-two punch of less habitat and less food could be devastating to the bears’ long-term survival, said Willcox. “We’re going to have less room for the bears just when they need more room to compensate for less food,” she said.

White bark pine seeds, for instance, are a critical food source for grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains. The number of cubs a female will produce has been correlated to the availability of white bark pine seeds. This food source provides an important source of fats and protein at a critical time in the female’s reproductive cycle.

The ruling is expected to be appealed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

By Julie Hopkins, with excerpts by Brodie Farquhar for Yellowstone Journal Corporation/ YellowstonePark.com, 2006)

Trafficking in bear gall bladders draws fines and jail sentence

2009-12-28T16:20:00.000-08:00

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA - Investigations by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) detectives into illegal trafficking in bear gall bladders have resulted in hefty fines for two eastern Washington men and a year-long jail sentence for one of them.

William A. Page, 63, a Curlew meat cutter, was sentenced Dec. 18 in Ferry County Superior Court to a year in jail plus $3,000 in fines after being convicted a month earlier of six counts of unlawful trafficking in wildlife.

Page, of 49 Bjork Ranch Rd. in Curlew, also forfeited $1,600 he paid to undercover WDFW officers for the gall bladders.

Mike Cenci, WDFW deputy chief of enforcement, said Page admitted to buying 35 gall bladders in 2007 and 2008, including 17 he purchased from undercover officers during the course of the department’s investigation.

Some people believe bear gall bladders have healing powers, Cenci said. He noted that black market prices for galls can range between $100 to thousands of dollars, depending on whether the sales take place locally or overseas.

"Buying or selling bear gall bladders is a crime in this state, because it creates an increased demand for wildlife and their body parts," Cenci said. "That can threaten the long-term sustainability of populations that can’t withstand commercialization."

In a separate case, the Spokane County Superior Court fined the owner of a Spokane food market $1,000 on Dec. 22 for two felony convictions of illegally trafficking in wildlife.

A Spokane jury found Jason Yon, 51, owner of JAX Market on East Mission Street, guilty of purchasing four bear gall bladders from WDFW officers during an undercover investigation in 2008. In addition to the fine, Yon forfeited $800 he paid to buy the gall bladders.

Cenci said WDFW relies heavily on tips from hunters and people in local communities about illegal wildlife-trafficking operations. He asks that people who believe they have witnessed these crimes call WDFW Enforcement at (360) 902-2936.

Symbol of Justice

2009-12-09T05:03:00.001-08:00

The wolf is not always a feared and hated creature. In the medieval village of Utrecht, Netherlands the symbol of justice is the wolf.

The courtyard of the criminal justice center displays a magnificent statue of a blindfolded white wolf. Why the blindfold? Because as the saying goes "justice is blind". This is done in order to indicate that justice is (or should be) meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identity, money, power, or weakness.

The irony is that today in America we are struggling to treat the wolf in this same frame of context and blind objectivity.

Utrecht was created almost 2,000 years ago by the occupying Roman army. The Romans introduced many cultural changes and advancements. They were ultimately "run out of town" by the invading germanic tribes.

The city was never bombed in World War II and still retains it's old world charm and unique architecture.

posted by Dennis Ryan, photo credits Dennis Ryan

Cougar Ecology and Conservation

2009-12-03T02:56:00.000-08:00

Announcing the release of Cougar Ecology and Conservation
edited by Maurice Hornocker and Sharon Negri

Internationally renowned biologist Maurice Hornocker and long time conservationist Sharon Negri have joined forces to produce Cougar Ecology and Conservation, a seminal go-to resource for scientists, wildlife managers, biologists, conservationists, and anyone who has an interest in large carnivores.

A rare anthology featuring twenty leading scientists from Canada to Patagonia, Cougar Ecology and Conservation is the first comprehensive book that spans the cougars entire range and includes a of topics surrounding this complex animal.

The book's contributors cover a wide range of experience, perspectives and topics. Some of the subjects covered include taxonomy, genetics, history, cougar behavior and social organization, predator-prey relationships, population dynamics, management, human dimensions, the role of government and citizens in conservation, conservation planning, and the future of research.

Cougar Ecology and Conservation contains 304 pages, including 36 color photographs, 70 halftones, 19 line drawings, and 25 tables.

To order the book link to: University of Chicago Press

Lookout Pack moves to winter range

2009-11-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

Three adults, four pups in pack as they move to lower elevations in the Methow Valley for the third winter.

By Joyce Campbell, Methow Valley News

The Methow Valley’s wolf pack is back from their summer range in the high mountains of the Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness and Twisp River Valley.

A collaboration of agencies and conservation groups are monitoring the seven-member Lookout Pack by air and by ground using radio telemetry, verified sightings, howling surveys, remote cameras and follow-ups on reports by the public.

The pair of radio-collared wolves is being followed by a sub-adult wolf and four pups, as they inhabit a territory that reaches from the Wilderness to the valley floor. As the snow deepens in the mountains, biologists were expecting the pack to return to lower elevations.

They showed up the first week in November, similar to last year, said John Rohrer, wildlife biologist for the Methow Valley Ranger District. “They made bigger moves until the snow got deeper,” said Rohrer. The pack last year roamed the far reaches of the Twisp River Valley before settling in the Lookout Mountain area in late December.

Just because they did it last year, doesn’t mean they’ll do it this year. The pack has been unpredictable, staying later this year in their winter and denning range, according to Rohrer. “Last year, they moved to the Wilderness a lot earlier,” he said.

“There continue to be sightings all along the Cascades, but nothing documented,” said Andrea Lyons, Forest Service wildlife biologist for the Entiat Ranger District. She said there have been visual sightings, people seeing tracks and scat and hearing howling. The reports are not concentrated in a certain area or time.

Lyons has been tracking the wolf pack from the air all summer, flying every 10 to 14 days. Antennae are attached to both struts on a fixed-wing airplane to get directional signals from the radio-collared adults. The monitoring will shift to more ground telemetry during the winter, said Lyons.

To report wolf sightings call the state wolf reporting hotline at (888) 584-9038.

Human-Wildlife Conflict Training

2009-10-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

It seems like more and more we are hearing about and dealing with human-wildlife conflicts which in many cases are more about conflicts between humans than about wildlife. As part of my job with the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) and my job as a zoo keeper this topic comes up a lot. Dealing with this topic can be touchy so I was very excited to hear about a course that teaches about conflict dynamics and how to address them.

I attended the Conservation and Conflict Experiential Training course taught by staff of the Human Wildlife Conflict Collaboration (HWCC). The course was held September 9-11 2009 in Washington, D.C. Our class had people from the US, Wales, France and Africa. It was a great mix of people with varied backgrounds; grad students, the Humane Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation Society, USDA and the National Park Service etc. Having this mix of people really brought in some great ideas and information exchange which added to the wonderful learning experience of the class.

This is not a sit, take notes and listen to the instructors’ course. There are a lot of discussions and role play; the more you participate the more you get out of it.

”The objective of this course is to improve the ability of conservation practitioners to understand conflict dynamics and establish more effective ways to address them. Participants will accomplish this by drawing on tools, processes, and theory developed in the field of conflict resolution that have shown to be applicable to conservation realities. As a result, conservation practitioners will possess a broader set of skills to ensure that conservation solutions are more successful and sustainable.” (HWCC)

We practiced various roles: being a third party neutral, an observer and people involved in a conflict. Playing these different “characters” and being in someone else’s shoes brought a new perspective to the process and gave a glimpse into how the other side may be feeling. At the end of each role play the groups (usually made up of 4 people) would critique the people doing the role play providing constructive criticism and positive feedback. It was a safe environment to practice the new skills we were learning each day and to improve on the ones we already had.

I would recommend this course to anyone that has to deal with human-wildlife conflict; it really does provide tools and guidance to prevent or resolve conflict issues. As someone who has never been good at dealing with human conflict, I left the course feeling like I can go out accomplish my goals and when conflicts arise I can handle them.

For more information on HWCC and the training course go to their website: http://www.humanwildlifeconflict.org/Training.htm

Submitted by Wendy Gardner, photo credits: Joe Milmoe

Loss Of Top Predators Causing Surge In Smaller Predators, Ecosystem Collapse

2009-10-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

The catastrophic decline around the world of "apex" predators such as wolves, cougars, lions or sharks has led to a huge increase in smaller "mesopredators" that are causing major economic and ecological disruptions, a new study concludes.

The findings, published October 1 in the journal Bioscience, found that in North America all of the largest terrestrial predators have been in decline during the past 200 years while the ranges of 60 percent of mesopredators have expanded. The problem is global, growing and severe, scientists say, with few solutions in sight.

An example: in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, lion and leopard populations have been decimated, allowing a surge in the "mesopredator" population next down the line, baboons. In some cases children are now being kept home from school to guard family gardens from brazen packs of crop-raiding baboons.

In case after case around the world, the researchers said, primary predators such as wolves, lions or sharks have been dramatically reduced if not eliminated, usually on purpose and sometimes by forces such as habitat disruption, hunting or fishing. Many times this has been viewed positively by humans, fearful of personal attack, loss of livestock or other concerns. But the new picture that's emerging is a range of problems, including ecosystem and economic disruption that may dwarf any problems presented by the original primary predators.

The elimination of wolves is often favored by ranchers, for instance, who fear attacks on their livestock. However, that has led to a huge surge in the number of coyotes, a "mesopredator" once kept in check by the wolves. The coyotes attack pronghorn antelope and domestic sheep, and attempts to control them have been hugely expensive, costing hundreds of millions of dollars.

The problems are not confined to terrestrial ecosystems. Sharks, for instance, are in serious decline due to overfishing. In some places that has led to an explosion in the populations of rays, which in turn caused the collapse of a bay scallop fishery and both ecological an economic losses.

Source and complete article: ScienceDaily (Oct. 4, 2009)

Submitted by Dennis Ryan

WDFW submits wolf management plan draft

2009-10-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

Public review of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Draft Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, as required under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), will begin on October 5, 2009.

A series of public meetings will be held in October and November, (see schedule at the WDFW website), with the public comment period continuing through January 8, 2010.

This is the public's opportunity to meet with WDFW staff and give input to the draft plan prior to the release of the final version.

The content of the plan is published on the WDFW website for review prior to the meetings. A minimum goal of 15 breeding pairs of wolves would be neccessary to remove the wolf from the Washington endangered species list.

Submitted by Dennis Ryan

Montana cows share their food!

2009-10-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken at the Broken O Ranch on the Sun River near Simms, MT.

The grizzlies ignored the cows and the cows left the grizzlies alone.

Submitted by Dennis Ryan

Bear in the Backyard

2009-09-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Some Issaquah Highlands (east of Seattle,Washington) community neighbors woke to an interesting site the other morning and got it on tape.

Unfortunately, according to Rose & Saurabh Saxena, its not an unusual sight, “Beyond the thrill of seeing the bear, we were also disturbed that our neighbors continue to place their garbage out the night before (garbage pickup), and wanted to take the video to raise awareness. “ Last fall they saw a large mother black bear and three cubs in the same location dragging garbage into the greenbelt. This year’s bear seems smaller and they speculate that it may be one of those grown cubs.

The Saxena’s have joined with their local community NW Wildlife Stewards, volunteer group to encourage the Homeowner’s Association to do more to keep the bears out of the neighborhood, and to keep the bears and people safe. Cathy Macchio started the NW Wildlife Stewards group last year after repeatedly seeing bear-strewn garbage in her neighborhood and having one bear raid her compost pile and leave foot prints on her wood fence. She contacted Julie Hopkins, with the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project and received support and education on how to reduce conflicts with black bears in her neighborhood.

Cathy and the other Wildlife Steward members have convinced the Homeowner’s Association to post metal signs describing Bear Smart steps on the mail kiosks, and have been working with the local garbage company to reduce bear problems as well. Cathy is also involved in creating a website to educate the community on how to keep wildlife wild, report wildlife sightings and promote resident involvement as volunteers. The website should be functional in the next couple of months so check back for a link. The NW Wildlife Stewards would like to see the people and the wildlife of their growing neighborhood co-exist safely. If you are interested in helping the Wildlife Stewards or have any questions about the group you can contact Cathy at wildlifestewards@gmail.com.

Written by Julie Hopkins, GBOP field representative.

Think you can out climb a bear?

2009-08-27T10:07:00.001-07:00

THINK AGAIN!

Source: Originally posted on TWEETERS.

2 accused of illegally killing WA grizzly

2009-08-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

MOSES LAKE, Wash. - Two Grant County men are expected to appear in federal court next week, accused of shooting one of Washington state's few grizzly bears. The case stretches back to a hunting trip in October 2007, during which investigators say the men shot a full grown male grizzly in Northeastern Washington's Selkirk Mountains.

Kurtis Cox and Brandon Rodeback are then accused of transporting the dead bear to property near their homes in the Moses Lake area. State and federal wildlife investigators say they were able to find the burial site.

"Officers found a grizzly bear carcass and a grizzly bear hide and head in two separate holes buried on the family farm," said Deputy Chief Mike Cenci, of Washington Fish & Wildlife Enforcement. Investigators were able to determine from tests that the bear was a valuable research subject.

State and federal wildlife officers say a tip led them to the suspects and a site where they tried to hide the bear. They released this photo of the bear's hide. "It had an ear tag," Cenci said. "Biologists had been tracking that animal for 14 years, so we know a lot about its life history."

Wildlife groups say killing any member of the state's struggling grizzly bear population is a big setback to hopes the large bears will reestablish a presence in Washington state. "It really increases the chance that this animal is not going to make it, and we cannot afford to lose anymore bears in the Cascades or the Selkirks," said Paul Bannick, Seattle Director of Conservation Northwest.

Once plentiful in Washington and most of the rest of the Western states, the grizzlies were all but hunted into extinction. Efforts to protect them have helped increase numbers in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. The return of the bears to those states has already generated heated concerns from some ranching and hunting groups.
Those same concerns are now being voiced as Washington state prepares for what appears to be the grizzly's imminent return to this state. Shooting a grizzly in any state is a violation of federal endangered species laws and could lead to six months in jail and heavy fines.

Cox and Rodeback are expected to appear before a federal magistrate in Spokane next week. KING 5 was unable to contact either man today. Court documents indicate the two men explained to investigators they didn't realize the bear was a protected grizzly, not a common black bear for which Rodeback had a hunting permit.

Source: GARY CHITTIM / KING 5 News

A Bear Resistant Cooler that's even Yogi Bear proof

2009-07-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

Thousands of people go camping, fishing and recreating in bear country every year which means there is a need for bear resistant products that you can store your food/catch in.

There are bear resistant food containers, bags so you can hang your food and now there is a bear resistant cooler officially approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. It is called the YETI.

YETI Tundra ice chests have been thoroughly tested by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) in both controlled simulations and with wild grizzly bears. The IGBC officially approved the YETI Tundra coolers for use on public lands occupied by grizzlies. The IGBC publishes minimum design and structural standards, inspection and testing methodology for BEAR RESISTANT CONTAINERS. YETI Tundra coolers met the IGBC requirement both in the engineered test and the live bear test.

The containers come in many different sizes and price ranges to meet the needs of almost anyone.

It is nice to see this new bear resistant product. Use of the YETI will help keep many bears from getting into human food which in turn will keep them from becoming problem bears.

Submitted by Wendy Gardner

Smokey the Bear is 65 but not retiring

2009-07-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

Since his “birth” on August 9, 1944, Smokey Bear has been a recognized symbol of conservation and protection of America’s forests. This is a vintage Smokey Bear shoulder patch, photo courtesy of Dennis Ryan.

His message about wildfire prevention has helped to reduce the number of acres burned annually by wildfires, from about 22 million (1944) to an average of 7 million today. Many Americans believe that lightning starts most wildfires. In fact, on average, 9 out of 10 wildfires nationwide are caused by people.

The principle causes are campfires left unattended, trash burning on windy days, arson, careless discarding of smoking materials or BBQ coals, and operating equipment without spark arrestors.

Smokey Bear is the center of the longest-running public service advertising (PSA) campaign in U.S. history. Since 1944, he has been communicating his well-known message, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.”
This is the debut 1944 Smokey poster.
In 2001, the term ‘Wildfires’ was introduced to include all unwanted, unplanned fires in natural areas such as grass fires or brush fires. The Smokey Bear campaign is a critical tool specially designed to ask for every citizen's conscientious commitment to be responsible with fire.

A new ad campaign encourages young adults to “Get Your Smokey On” – that is, to become like Smokey and speak up when others are acting carelessly.

Primary source: USFS News, Gary C. Chancey, Wayne National Forest

B.C. officer uses CPR to resuscitate bear

2009-06-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

A conservation officer in Prince George, B.C., used his CPR training to save a bear's life after it was tranquillized. This photo was captured by cell phone camera.

Gary Van Spengen's conservation team was called to a residential neighbourhood Monday after a female bear was spotted in a tree. A biologist tranquillized the bear while it was up the tree, and after what Van Spengen described as a "soft landing," the bear stopped breathing after it hit the ground, but still had a heartbeat.

Van Spengen said he has never seen a bear stop breathing after being tranquillized in his 20 years as a conservation officer. "We could tell the heart was still beating … but the chest wasn't moving at all. I didn't want to lose this bear because I wanted to get a radio collar on it, so I started doing chest compressions on the bear to try to get air in and out of the lungs," Van Spengen told CBC Radio's B.C. Almanac on Tuesday .

While he said he did consider mouth-to-mouth breathing, another component of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Van Spengen jokingly said, "[Bears] usually don't carry breath mints." Van Spengen said it was similar to doing chest compressions on a person, where the diaphragm is pushed up and down, to move air in and out of the chest cavity.

"I've gotten a bit of razzing from it, but it's all in good fun," he said. After 10 to 15 minutes, the bear started breathing on her own. After being fitted with a radio collar, the bear was released south of Prince George.

Conservation officers plan to track the bear's movements as part of a study on the interaction between humans and bears in the area. Van Spengen said this particular bear was a good candidate because it hadn't started eating garbage, so would not be considered a nuisance bear. "She's wandering around doing bear things right now, eating and trying to fatten up for the winter," he said.

Source: CBC news

New Winthrop Ranger District Manager

2009-06-09T09:16:00.001-07:00

Michael Liu hosted an open house for the public at the Winthrop ranger station. He is the new district manager and has 27 years experience with the USFS. Previous postings included Idaho, Montana, California, Colorado and New York. He has seen it all and been exposed to many of the same issues that will require attention in the Okanogan area.

Local stakeholders stopped by to say hello, chat and ask questions. Folks representing the town of Winthrop, logging, snowmobiling, back country horsemen and conservationists were in the mix.

Mike took all questions and responded thoughtfully. For someone who has been on board for only a short time he has taken in a lot about the local issues and the resources that are available to the district. Impressions were he will attempt to strike a balance with issues that tend to be polarizing such as the local wolf pack and controlled burning policies.

Everyone welcomed Mike to the Methow.

Farmer's Market season in full swing

2009-06-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

Twisp Washington has a vibrant farmer's market every Saturday from 9am till noon. Lots of local crafts and produce. Many local residents, vacation home owners and tourists attend.

It's a great place to talk to a cross section of folks about bears. Believe me, everyone has a bear story and you get to hear them all.

This family was no exception. They had many questions about black bears and grizzlies in the Methow Valley area.

Just about everyone wanted to compare the size of their hand to the casting of the grizzly track. Impressed they were.

The tip of the day came from a Native American couple who lived in a village near St. Mary's in the Yukon territory. They literally grew up with grizzly bears as neighbors. "Never set up camp on old grizzly tracks. Only set up camp on fresh grizzly tracks."

Can you think why?

Bear species: six of eight face extinction

2009-06-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Asiatic black bear is now listed as vulnerable, therefore six of the eight species of bear in the world are now officially facing extinction.

The smallest, the sun bear, is the latest to be classified as vulnerable on the Red List of Threatened Species. Four other species - Asiatic black bear, Sloth bear, Andean bear and Polar bear - are also listed as vulnerable.

The giant panda is facing the greatest threat and remains in the endangered category. There is least concern over the European brown bear and the American black bear.

The sun bear found in Souteast Asia, Sumatra and Borneo, will be included in the 2007 Red List drawn up by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Previously it was known as 'Data Defficient' meaning not enough was known about it to give it a classification. Rob Steinmetz, co-chair of the IUCN Bear Specialist Group's sun bear expert team, said: "Although we still have lot to learn about the biology and ecology of this species, we are quite certain that it is in trouble.

"We estimate that sun bears have declined by at least 30 per cent over the past 30 years (three bear generations), and continue to decline at this rate. Deforestation has reduced both the area and quality of their habitat. Where habitat is now protected, commercial poaching remains a significant threat.

"We are working with governments, protected area managers, conservation groups and local people to prevent extinction of the many small, isolated sun bear populations that remain in many parts of Southeast Asia."

Bear hunting is illegal throughout Southern Asia, but they suffer heavy losses from poachers, who risk the small chance of being caught against lucrative gains from selling parts. Bile from the bear's gall bladder is used in traditional Chinese medicine and their paws are consumed as a delicacy. Additionally, bears are often killed when they prey on livestock or raid agricultural crops. Bears simply roaming near a village may be killed because they are perceived as a threat to human life.

Dave Garshelis, co-chair of the Bear Specialist Group, which met earlier this month in Mexico, to update the status of the eight species, said: "Although the bear population estimates for Asia are not as reliable as we would like, we estimate that bears in Southeast Asia are declining at a particularly rapid rate due to extensive loss of forest habitat combined with rampant poaching."

Bruce McLellan, also a co-chair, said: "An enormous amount of effort and funding for conservation and management continue to be directed at bears in North America where their status is relatively favourable. It is unfortunate that so little is directed at bears in Asia and South America where the need is extreme. We are trying to change this situation but success is slow."

By Paul Eccleston, Telegraph.co.uk

Living with Predators Resource Guide

2009-04-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

The 2009 edition of the Living with Predators Resource Guides is now available. The guides can be downloaded at no cost via the Living with Wildlife Foundation (LWWF) web site at www.lwwf.org.

The guides are a comprehensive set of resources containing information about how to prevent conflicts with predators with an emphasis on bears.

The largest guide, “Techniques and refuse Management options for Residential Areas, Campgrounds and Group-Use Facilities” has been updated to include a number of new bear-resistant products and new information about the updated Bear-Resistant Products Testing Program.

One of the guides, “Predator Behavior Modification Tools for Wildlife Professionals” is not available via the general link on the LWWF web page. We try to restrict distribution of this guide to wildlife professionals. Please email Patti Sowka at patti@lwwf.org if you would like to be able to download this guide.

LWWF has now expanded its portion of the bear-resistant products testing program to include testing with captive black bears at Southwest Wildlife Rehabilitation and Educational Foundation, Inc. located in Scottsdale, Arizona. This non-profit does a wonderful job of helping to educate the public about ways to co-exist with wildlife and they also provide a life-long home to confiscated and non-releasable wild animals. Please visit them at www.southwestwildlife.org .

Please contact Patti Sowka at 406-544-5307 or patti@lwwf.org for more information.

Bear’s Quest for Calories

2009-04-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Living around humans, bears have developed a taste for people's garbage because it is often higher in calories than their natural food sources. Below, common types of human foods are contrasted with how many acorns a bear would have to eat to get the same amount of calories.

A dozen eggs is 888 calories. That is equql to 234 acorns.

A pound of hot dogs is 1,456 calories. That is equal to 384 acorns.

A McDonald’s double cheeseburger combo is 1,620 calories. That is equal to 427 acorns.

A pound of Black oil sunflower seeds is 1,740 calories. That is equal to 458 acorns.

A dozen Jelly donuts is 2,640 calories. That is equal to 695 acorns.

A large Pepperoni Pizza is 17,352 calories. That is equal to 4,566 acorns.

Compare that to 25 pounds of Purina dog chow. That is 42,425 calories. That is equal to 11,165 acorns.

I think that now you are getting the picture why bears prefer human food over acrons. Plus acrons don't taste that good!

Report from the field, Montana

2009-04-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

John taylor (my colleague from Wildlife Media) and I just returned from a short trip to Montana where we were meeting with the folks from Vital Ground about their work to create conservation easements in grizzly bear habitat. Vital Ground was born of the "movie star" Bart the Bear who appeared on the big screen alongside actors like Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt.

His trainers, Doug and Lynne Seus decided they wanted to give something back to the grizzly bear and decided that taking steps to protect habitat was just right. We had a great day with the board, hearing about their work in Montana, Idaho, and Alaska.

En route to Missoula we had a chance to drop in at Counter Assault, the bear pepper spray manufacturers based in Kalispell. Pride Johnson was kind enough to give us a tour of the factory where it all happens. We were very impressed with the facility and the great people who work there. Bear pepper spray is the very best line of defense against an aggressive bear.

When dispensed, the canister shoots out a cloud of pepper spray and upon contact with the bear's nasal cavity and respiratory system creates a very uncomfortable diversion. The "heat" or "hotness" of pepper spray, and the associated peppers that the "heat ingredient" capsaicin is derived from is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A sweet bell pepper is rated at 0, while green pepper Tabasco sauce may be 600-800. Jalapeno peppers range from 2500-8000 SHU. The capsaicin used to produce bear pepper spray is rated at.....wait for it......16,000,000 SHU (yes, 16 million). So it packs quit the punch!

You can read more about Counter Assault's products at www.counterassault.com. And for more general bear safety tips see the safety page of our webpage: www.bearinfo.org/bearsafety.htm

Remember, the chances of being attacked by a bear are incredibly small, but it is always good to be prepared. Thank you to Counter Assault, for their support and encouragement.

Submitted by:
Chris Morgan
Director, GBOP

Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) meeting

2009-04-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

Want to learn about grizzlies in the North Cascades? Want to get involved with the recovery of grizzly bears in the North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE)?

If so, you will want to attend the next Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) meeting. Periodically a committee of inter-agency personnel meets to address issues and progress relative to the recovery of the NCE grizzly bear population. These meetings are open to the public.

Spring Meeting 2009
North Cascades Ecosystem Meeting
Date: May 6, 2009
Time: 10 am - 3 pm. No lunch break is scheduled.
Location: Chelan County Fire District #3
Community Center
228 Chumstick Hwy
Leavenworth, Washington

Documentary on the life of Charles Jonkel

2009-02-24T06:14:00.000-08:00

The Great Bear Foundation, Salish Kootenai College Media, and Ursus International are pleased to announce the launching of a documentary film on the life and work of Dr. Charles Jonkel, a patriarch of bear biology, and one of the most interesting, inspiring characters of our time.

Charles Jonkel has devoted his life to the study and conservation of wild bears and their habitat. A pioneer of bear biology, Jonkel was one of the first four researchers to study black bears in the field after the invention of the dart gun. With his successful work on black bears, the Canadian government sought him out to lead their groundbreaking research on polar bears, one of the first field studies ever conducted on wild polar bears.

In his eight years in the Arctic, Jonkel compiled the first reliable, comprehensive scientific database on wild polar bears. He developed the concept that polar bears make up distinct subpopulations that inhabit specific areas, disproving Peder Pedersen’s theory that the world’s polar bears consist of one population, traveling around the entire circumpolar region. Realizing the cultural importance of the polar bear hunt to Native people and its vital place in their subsistence lifestyle, Jonkel fought for and secured Native hunting rights in Canada. The quota system that he developed to manage polar bear hunting combined Inuit traditional knowledge, or Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, with western science to determine the total number of allowable kills from year to year and. He and others set up the Polar Bear Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), creating a framework for cooperation among the five countries with polar bear populations. This group became the model for all IUCN specialist groups. Charles Jonkel has worked in more areas of the Arctic than anyone else alive.

After nearly a decade working on polar bears, Dr. Jonkel returned to Montana where he taught wildlife biology at the University of Montana. His Border Grizzly Project was one of the most comprehensive studies of grizzly bears and their habitat requirements ever conducted. It helped to shape habitat, quota systems, and forest management policies in the West and to establish a better understanding of cumulative human impacts on grizzly bears. For the first time, policymakers and biologists were forced to examine the cumulative effects of all human activities and all other impacts on wildlife, rather than just the immediate, direct impacts of a specific project. Jonkel went on to direct research on aversive conditioning, testing the effects of potential bear repellants on black and grizzly bears.

While Jonkel is considered a father of bear biology, his influence extends far beyond the scientific community. Studying polar bears, he fell in love with the Arctic and became a champion of this little known northern world and the people and wildlife that inhabit it. Decades later, Jonkel continues his crusade to teach people about the Arctic, its beauty, and the threats that face the region today. As President and Scientific Adviser of the Great Bear Foundation, Jonkel devotes much of his time to educating the public about the world’s eight species of bears, their ecology, and the need to preserve their habitat.

Few people, if any, have done as much for bears as Dr. Jonkel. The Great Bear Foundation is seeking support for this effort - for more information visit their site.

Nan Laney relocates to California

2009-02-19T09:35:00.000-08:00

I’m in the midst of a move back to Northern California after 21 years of living and working in Northwest Washington. It’s been raining here continuously for 10 days, and while the vegetation outside my home office is different enough to cause me to take pause and notice -- oaks, redwoods, bay laurel, manzanita and madrones –– the weather has been highly reminiscent of Western Washington. So much for sunny California!

I recently picked up the book, California Grizzly, by Tracy Storer and Lloyd Tevis Jr, published originally in 1955. I’ve always been curious about the history of grizzly bears in California, in part because of the constant reminder of their former presence on the State’s flag.

It’s estimated that there were 10,000 grizzly bears in California. Nearly all the state was traversed by grizzly bears -- from the Trinity Range to the Modoc Plateau at the northern end of the state, the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, the Sierra, San Jacinto and San Bernadino Mountain Ranges, the coastal areas and coast ranges, and spanning south into San Diego County and across the border into Mexico. Only the deserts were uninhabited.

The story of the reduction in numbers and extirpation of grizzly bears in California is not dissimilar from their trajectory in other parts of their range in lower 48 states, Canada and Alaska, and on other continents. Almost everywhere grizzlies have existed they have been pushed out of their ideal habitats in more open country, where food sources are plentiful, to the mountains that are less desirable to humans for development, and for growing crops and livestock. As European human presence increased in California, a marked increase in grizzly bears were killed, and numbers were greatly reduced. By the 1880s grizzlies were nearly extirpated from California’s lowlands and were found primarily in the hilly and mountainous areas of the state. The last grizzlies were eradicated from the state in the 1920s.

Native Americans in California did not keep written records of grizzly bear interactions. However bears occupy an important place in Native American cultural and spiritual identity, spanning thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. The first written documentation of the presence of the bears are found in the journals of the early Spanish explorers. In 1769, at the site of San Luis Obispo, the Portola expedition saw “troops of bears” and found the land excavated where the animals had been grubbing for roots. The records of John Bidwell document seeing 16 grizzly bears in one “drove” in the Sacramento Valley in 1841, and stated that “grizzly bear were almost an hourly sight, in the vicinity of the streams, and it was not uncommon to see thirty to forty a day.”

The history of grizzly bears in California is punctuated by the influence of the Spanish explorers who lassoed and killed grizzlies for sport using their lariats, or reatas made of four-strand rawhide, from the backs of their horses. The Spanish also staged fights between grizzlies and bulls during fiestas and on feast days at the missions and presidios. Bear and bull fights were a carry-over from the same practices in Spain, and these staged fights drew attendees from great distances.

I’m living at the moment in the far southwest corner of Lake County, about 10 miles from the Mendocino and Sonoma County lines and just a few miles further from the Napa County line. About 30 miles northwest of here, near the tiny town of Boonville, where in 1988 I student taught while attending graduate school at UC Davis, is a peak named Grizzly Peak. And about 15 miles northeast of here, not too far from Clear Lake, in a scattered oak woodland area baked by the blazing summer sun, is another Grizzly Peak. The grizzly’s name marks nearly 200 place names designating topographic features, waters and settlements in California.

The last chapter of the book addresses the role of the grizzly bear as an emblem of California’s early history and exploration. It’s hard to miss the bear’s presence on the California State flag, and I’m always struck by the irony of the fact that grizzly bears are now extirpated from a state that displays the bear so prominently on it’s flag.

I’ve enjoyed my time working with the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. It has been an enriching experience for me and I hope that my efforts have helped to support increased awareness and knowledge of bears and other wildlife species, as well as ways that we can all successfully coexist in a respectful way with our wild neighbors.

Nan Laney, GBOP
Skagit, Whatcom and Northern Snohomish Field Coordinator

Feeding Wildlife In Winter

2009-02-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, you got yet another couple inches of snow last night. Many of us worry how the wild animals are doing with the unusual amount of snow we have had this winter. According to many experts, including the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, feeding wildlife in winter does us more good than them.

Many people, myself included, consider the seed they put out for birds to be crucial food to get them through the winter. On the contrary, only about 1/5 of a birds winter diet comes from bird feeders. Some feeders can even do more harm than good if they are not cleaned regularly and are spreading diseases. The best things we can do are to provide high quality habitat full of natural foods. If you love the interaction of watching the birds and still want to feed them be sure to keep the feeders clean and check them daily for wet or molding feed, and place feeders away from hiding cover for cats. Or, provide seed and water just during particularly bad weather.

Experts in Cornell University Lab of Ornithology's Project FeederWatch, which collects winter bird feeder use data from volunteers across the country, say most bird feeding does neither significant good nor significant damage. It's something we do for ourselves. But it's a great educational opportunity for us.

If you have thought about feeding the deer or elk consider these potential problems:
- Concentrating deer and elk at a feeder can create problems by making the animals more vulnerable to disease, predation and poaching.

- Inviting deer into your yard could, in turn, invite the deer's predator, cougars, into your area also.

- If feeding areas draw animals across well-traveled roads, they are more likely to present a safety hazard and be hit by motor vehicles.

- Deer and elk drawn to artificial feed also can damage nearby agricultural areas, trees, or landscaping, especially if the artificial feed supply is not maintained through the winter.

In addition, the type of feed can make a life or death difference for deer and elk. If you put out grains their digestive systems can't digest, they will eat themselves silly, while starving. Deer and elk need the proper kind of bacteria in their gut to digest specific types of food. If they are used to eating browse (winter twigs, shrubs, forbs) they won't have the ability to digest grains until the bacteria make the adjustment. Depending on the animals' fat reserves, they might starve while waiting this period out, even though their bellies are full.

The best thing you can do for all winter wildlife is trying not to disturb them. They only have so much reserve, and the flight response requires a big output of energy. Keep your cats away from the bird feeder, keep your dog on a leash when you hike through the woods, and slow down in your vehicle when traveling through deer or elk country. We can all make an effort to maintain quality habitat for wildlife to live, ensuring that they have the food and shelter they need year-round.

Check out these links for more information:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/factshts/wintfeed.htm

http://www.paws.org/wildlife/resources/fact_sheets/feedingwildlife.php

http://extension.unh.edu/news/feedeer.htm

Julie L. Hopkins, GBOP

Effects of past climate changes

2009-01-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

Climate change wiped out cave bears 13 millennia earlier than thought.

Enormous cave bears, Ursus spelaeus, that once inhabited a large swathe of Europe, from Spain to the Urals, died out 27,800 years ago, around 13 millennia earlier than was previously believed, scientists have reported.

The new date coincides with a period of significant climate change, known as the Last Glacial Maximum, when a marked cooling in temperature resulted in the reduction or loss of vegetation forming the main component of the cave bears' diet.

In a study published in Boreas, researchers suggest it was this deterioration in food supply that led to the extinction of the cave bear, one of a group of 'megafauna' - including woolly mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, giant deer and cave lion - to disappear during the last Ice Age.

They found no convincing evidence of human involvement in the disappearance of these bears. The team used both new data and existing records of radiocarbon dating on cave bear remains to construct their chronology for cave bear extinction.

"Our work shows that the cave bear, among the megafauna that became extinct during the Last Glacial period in Europe, was one of the earliest to disappear," said Dr Martina Pacher of the Department of Palaeontology at the University of Vienna. "Other, later extinctions happened at different times within the last 15,000 years."

Dr Pacher carried out the research alongside Professor Anthony J. Stuart of the Natural History Museum, London, and the University of Durham.

Many scientists previously claimed that cave bears survived until at least 15,000 years ago, but Dr Pacher and Professor Stuart claim that the methodology of these earlier studies included many errors in dating as well as confusion between cave bear and brown bear remains.

The pair also concluded, from evidence on skull anatomy, bone collagen and teeth, that these extinct mammals were predominantly vegetarian, eating a specialised diet of high-quality plants. Compared with other megafaunal species that would also become extinct, the cave bear had a relatively restricted geographical range, being confined to Europe, which may offer an explanation as to why it died out so much earlier than the rest.

"Its highly specialised mode of life, especially a diet of high-quality plants, and its restricted distribution left it vulnerable to extinction as the climate cooled and its food source diminished," said Dr Pacher.

The brown bear, with which Ursus spelaeus shares a common ancestor, was spread throughout Europe and much of northern Asia and has survived to the present day.

"A fundamental question to be answered by future research is: why did the brown bear survive to the present day, while the cave bear did not?" said Professor Stuart. Answers to this question may involve different dietary preferences, hibernation strategies, geographical ranges, habitat preferences and perhaps predation by humans.

Cave bears were heavily built animals, with males growing up to around 1000kg. The maximum recorded weight of both Kodiak bears and polar bears - the largest bears living today - is 800kg, with averages of around 500kg.

Scientists have recovered a large quantity of cave bear remains from many cave sites, where they are believed to have died during winter hibernation. Caves provide an ideal environment for the preservation of these remains.

Despite over 200 years of scientific study - beginning in 1794 when a young anatomist, J. Rosenmüller, first described bones from the Zoolithenhöhle in Bavaria as belonging to a new extinct species, which he called cave bear - the timing and cause of its extinction remain controversial.

By far the best source of information on the appearance of cave bears in the flesh is to be found in red pigment cave paintings in the Grotte Chauvet in the Ardèche region of southern France. These are the only depictions in Palaeolithic art that can be attributed unambiguously to the cave bear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_bear

source SCIENCE, 13 OCTOBER 2006

Bear Vocalizations: What Do They Mean?

2009-01-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

Being a zoo keeper I get asked a lot of questions about the animals I work with and one question that comes up a lot is: what type of vocalizations do animals make and what do they mean?

Bears have several types of vocalizations. Some species vocalize more than others. Knowing what these sounds mean can help us understand bear behavior and help with their care.

Photo of brown bear yearlings play-fighting and vocalizing in Alaska. photo credit: Chris Morgan.

Giant pandas have some unique vocalizations. They bleat which is a friendly greeting, honk when anxious or distressed and during the breeding season a receptive female will chirp when meeting a male. Sloth bears make a huffing sound when sucking up food, which sounds like a vacuum.

Most bear species make vocalizations that sound like a huff, chomp, woof, growl, and/or bark which mean the bear is agitated, angry or annoyed. A bawl, bellow, squeal or whimper indicates pain. A mumble, hum, or purr indicates contentment.

In many cases vocalizations are done along with some type of body posturing. These are visual clues as to how the bear is feeling. Depending on how the bear is standing, holding its head, the ear placement and how they move can tell a lot about what the bear is thinking and whether it is a dominant or subordinate animal. Bears would rather avoid a fight so using vocalizations and posturing can help eliminate serious conflicts and injuries and along with this, conserve energy they need to survive.

Vocalizations can be heard on the North American Bear Center’s website.

Wendy Gardner, GBOP team

Village Books in Bellingham welcomes...

2009-01-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

Join us on Wednesday, January 7th at 7pm as The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project and Village Books are proud to welcome to Bellingham David Knibb, author of Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight over the Great Bear.

Long a magnificent symbol of the wild, grizzly bears are perhaps the most controversial species in North America. In Grizzly Wars, David Knibb explores policy and political issues involved in managing and attempting to save the grizzly bear, highlighting the critical role of state governments in the recovery process, the importance of providing linked habitat areas, and our need to cooperate with Canada in managing grizzlies who inhabit border areas.

David Knibb has a background in environmental law, forestry, and wildlife management. An activist on resource conservation and environment issues in the Mountain West for nearly 45 years, he is also author of Backyard Wilderness, a chronicle of the Congressional battle over the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington’s Cascades.

Chris Morgan, Director of the acclaimed Grizzly Bear Outreach Project will be at the event to share information about grizzly bears in the North Cascades. Swing by to pick up a free poster and learn about grizzlies (we may have as few as 10 of them in the Cascades!).

Bear Vision

2008-12-31T11:03:00.000-08:00

Bears can see almost as well as humans, they tend to be nearsighted but have good depth perception. They have a layer of tissue called the tapetum lucidum that lies behind the retina that reflects light and improves their night vision. All bears have round pupils except giant pandas which have slits. Polar bears have a transparent eyelid (nictitating membrane) to filter snow glare and help them see underwater.

http://members.tripod.com/panowl/id27.htm

Studies have shown that bears can see colors. In a study done with giant pandas at Zoo Atlanta, it was not determined whether they could differentiate between colors but they could tell the difference between colors and gray. Being able to see colors may help bears find and distinguish ripe foods like berries, or fresh bamboo in the case of giant pandas.

For year’s people thought bears were colorblind and could not see well but research is showing this is not the case. We still have so much to learn about bears, it will be interesting to see what new things we learn in the future.

Giant Panda color vision study
Black bear and polar bear color vision study

Wendy Gardner, GBOP field specialist

Year end thank you

2008-12-30T09:31:00.000-08:00

Last month it all came flooding back to me - why I do the work that I do.

I gave a GBOP presentation to a small group of youngsters in Mount Vernon. They were all from a neighborhood that gets special attention from an amazing man - Jon Gerondale. He's the Neighborhood Resource Officer for Mount Vernon Police in Kulshan Creek and he's worked tirelessly to being inspiring outdoor experiences to these children. Much of his work in is collaboration with North Cascades Institute (Lee Whitford), and the US Forest Service (Don Gay). Each of these people has invested time and energy into this great group of young people.

I'd had a long, tiring day by the time I arrived at the presentation venue in Kulshan Creek, but the kids re-energized me in a big way! Thank you to you all for giving me the opportunity to bring the wonder of bears to you, and for all your great "thank you" messages! Look out for bears in 2009, and of course let us know if you come across a grizzly!

Chris Morgan
Director, GBOP

Winter Bear Idiosyncrasies

2008-12-25T07:44:00.000-08:00

Bears have some fascinating physiological traits, several of which are manifested during their winter denning period. These include: delayed implantation of the embryo for 3-4 months following the summer breeding season, and maintenance of energy and water balance during the 3-5 month denning period.

Energy and Water Balance During Winter Denning

During winter denning, which varies in length from 3-5 months, black and grizzly bears derive all of their sustenance from their own bodies. During this denning period they do not eat, drink, urinate, defecate or exercise.

Bears break down fat tissue to create water and up to 4,000 calories per day. They break down muscle and organ tissues to create protein.

Even though bears drink no water during denning, they do not become dehydrated. In a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that bears were in “almost perfect water balance” after 100 days of hibernation. The metabolism of bears is of interest to researchers because a greater understanding may yield information that helps people suffering from chronic kidney failure and other health issues.

Another unique strategy is that bears are able to take urea – a primary component of urine – and use it to build new protein. Consequently bears are able use newly created protein to restore muscle and organ tissue even when they are not eating and are losing weight, something that humans most definitely cannot do!

Delayed Embryo Implantation as an Advantageous Evolutionary Feature

Delayed implantation, or embryonic diapause, is a reproductive strategy used by nearly 100 mammals including: armadillos, bats, bears, otters and badgers, seals, walrus and kangaroos. Delayed implantation results in the embryo not immediately implanting itself in the uterus following fertilization, and instead being maintained in a state of dormancy for a period of time. As a result, the normal gestation period is extended, sometimes for many months. Because delayed implantation is found in diverse species of mammals, it is likely the result of separate evolutionary processes in response to different selective pressures.

In the case of bears, it allows the female to time the delivery of cubs so that they are born during favorable environmental conditions – so that they do not arrive too early nor too late. It also protects the mother if food is scarce, as the embryo will spontaneously abort if the mother goes into the den with inadequate food stores to carry out gestation and lactation.

Bear Haiku:

Tiny twin bear cubs
Birthed into winter’s darkness
Bellies full of milk

Brown bear sleeps soundly
Winter shifts to spring’s great thaw
And life starts anew

Nan Laney, GBOP field coordinator

Has the Arctic melt passed the point of no return?

2008-12-16T10:09:00.001-08:00

Why are Polar Bears falling through the sea ice? Scientists have found the first unequivocal evidence that the Arctic region is warming at a faster rate than the rest of the world at least a decade before it was predicted to happen.

Climate-change researchers have found that air temperatures in the region are higher than would be normally expected during the autumn because the increased melting of the summer Arctic sea ice is accumulating heat in the ocean. The phenomenon, known as Arctic amplification, was not expected to be seen for at least another 10 or 15 years and the findings will further raise concerns that the Arctic has already passed the climatic tipping-point towards ice-free summers, beyond which it may not recover.

The Arctic is considered one of the most sensitive regions in terms of climate change and its transition to another climatic state will have a direct impact on other parts of the northern hemisphere, as well more indirect effects around the world.

Although researchers have documented a catastrophic loss of sea ice during the summer months over the past 20 years, they have not until now detected the definitive temperature signal that they could link with greenhouse-gas emissions.

However, in a study to be presented later today to the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, scientists will show that Arctic amplification has been under way for the past five years, and it will continue to intensify Arctic warming for the foreseeable future.

Computer models of the global climate have for years suggested the Arctic will warm at a faster rate than the rest of the world due to Arctic amplification but many scientists believed this effect would only become measurable in the coming decades.

The Independent

By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Photo credits: Peter Evins - WWF Canada, Jonathan Hayward - AP

Grizzly bears go island hopping

2008-12-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in the mist-shrouded rainforests of northern Vancouver Island, a grizzly bear is hibernating in its winter den. And he is the source of mystery, fascination, and even fear among Island residents.

As far as anyone can remember or scientists can determine, only black bears have lived on Vancouver Island.

But this year, grizzlies have been sighted far and wide on northern Vancouver Island and the knot of smaller islands that press close against the coast between Port Hardy and Campbell River.

"This year has definitely been the busiest," Tony Hamilton, large carnivore specialist for the B.C. Ministry of Environment, said in an interview Wednesday.

"The islands are stepping stones, not separated by very much water. It makes sense. If we're going to get grizzlies coming onto Vancouver Island, this is where they'd come through."

Officials suspect three or four sub-adult male grizzlies are responsible for this year's sightings, having paddled and island-hopped their way westward from the B.C. mainland.

A grizzly was photographed at Rugged Point near Kyuquot, on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island in May, close to the time bears emerge from their dens, suggesting it had successfully hibernated on the Island.

That same bear and one or more of the others sighted in the region are likely denning this winter on the Island, too.

A hunting guide spotted another grizzly near Woss later in May, followed by a sighting from a salmon farm east of Port Hardy in June. Later that month, a grizzly was shot dead at Lagoon Cove Marina on East Cracroft Island, north of Sayward.

Grizzlies are a limited-entry hunt in B.C., which means the ones on Vancouver Island are protected. Exceptions are made where the bear represents a real threat to people or property.

The next two sightings, a week apart in July, are thought to be of the same bear: first, on Malcolm Island near Sointula, then at native-owned Cluxewe Resort near Port Hardy. Conservation officers tried unsuccessfully to trap the bear.

"My advice to the ministry is that this is natural, let it happen," said Hamilton, acknowledging some islanders are twitchy about grizzlies in their midst. "There is more sensitivity because people aren't used to it."

Hamilton argues it's unlikely grizzly bears will reach a sustaining population on Vancouver Island because sub-adult males are the ones seeking out distant new territories while the younger females tend to stay closer to the home range of their birth on the mainland.

Among the theories offered for the migration of grizzlies to Vancouver Island are that the grizzly population is expanding and that bleak coastal salmon runs have forced bears to look farther afield for food. "The truth is probably somewhere in between," Hamilton said.

Grizzlies have successfully mated with polar bears in the Arctic, but Hamilton knows of no such mating in the wild with black bears.

In 2002, a female grizzly was sighted with cubs on Hardwick Island, near Vancouver Island. The speculation is one of those cubs was shot in 2003 when it wandered into the native village of Tsulquate near Port Hardy - the first confirmed grizzly sighting on Vancouver Island.

Jeanine Johnny lives in the village and called in that bear to authorities. "They thought I was drunk, stoned," she recalled with a laugh Wednesday. "They told me to get some sleep and that it's just a black bear in its natural habitat."

Johnny used to live with grizzlies in Sparwood in southeast B.C. and isn't looking forward to their continuing presence on Vancouver Island. "It's kind of freaky for me," she said.

In 2006, another grizzly was shot by a man who feared for his granddaughter's safety at Sayward. Hamilton said there were rumours of a grizzly being shot and buried - "a shoot and shovel" - in the 1970s at Sayward, but the report was never confirmed.

Reprinted from the Financial Post.

Whale of a party

2008-12-09T11:37:00.001-08:00

Can you count the grizzlies dining on this beached whale in Alaska?

Now that's a Thanksgiving meal.

WDFW Director Resigns After 10 Years Service

2008-12-02T15:54:00.001-08:00

OLYMPIA- After a decade of leadership in fostering scientific and collaborative management of state natural resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Jeff Koenings, Ph.D., has announced his resignation, effective Dec. 11.

"In collaboration with many other resource managers and Washington citizens, I've accomplished much of what I said I would do when I became director 10 years ago," Koenings said. "I'm proud of the progress we've made in creating a comprehensive, gravel-to-gravel system of stewardship for wild salmon, re-building relationships based on mutual trust with tribal resource co-managers, bringing a scientific focus to state fish and wildlife management and improving the department's business practices."

Over the past decade, WDFW has acquired more than 109,000 acres of land for the protection of fish and wildlife habitats, ensuring their place in the public lands portfolio for future generations of Washingtonians.

Koenings' 10-year career as WDFW director was the longest in the department's history.

"Jeff has admirably served the department and successfully navigated it through some challenging times in the last ten years," stated Gov. Chris Gregoire. "His service is appreciated."

As director, Koenings brought stability to the 1,500-plus employee agency, fostered partnerships with stakeholders, promoted a good-neighbor policy in managing state wildlife lands and secured millions of dollars in federal funding for state fish and wildlife management.

"The past 10 years have been extraordinary in terms of the diversity of challenges presented to WDFW and its leadership," Koenings said. "But through it all, conservation of the resource through science-based decision-making has been our standard. I've been fortunate to lead an incredible group of talented professionals and they will always have my respect and admiration."

Summarized from WDFW Release 12/1/08

Grizzly - symbol of freedom

2008-11-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

“Alive, the grizzly is a symbol of freedom
and understanding – a sign that man can
learn to conserve what is left of the earth.

Extinct, it will be another fading testimony
to things man should have learned more
about but was too preoccupied with himself
to notice.

In its beleaguered condition,
it is above all a symbol of what man is
doing to the entire planet.

If we can learn from these experiences,
and learn rationally, both the grizzly
and man may have a chance.”

Frank C. Craighead Jr.

Frank Craighead, Jr., one of the fathers of grizzly bear research in the US, was honored this last summer by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee for excellence in research and leadership in advancing grizzly bear recovery. He is noted for being one of the first to employ radio collar technology and for his publications, among them "Track of the Grizzly" and Petersons Field guides and numerours documentary films. Frank passed away in 2001, at the age of 85.

Julie L. Hopkins
photo: grizzly on katmai shore

Return of the Mexican Grizzly Bear?

2008-11-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Mexican grizzly bear - Ursus arctos nelsoni: these bears were reported to be abundant in northern Mexico in the early 1900’s. There were numerous bears in the states of Baja, Sonora and Chihuahua. This subspecies of brown bear also occurred in the United States in New Mexico and Arizona. The last confirmed sightings in Mexico were in the Sierra del Nido Mountains (central Chihuahua) in the late 1950’s. There were reports of grizzly bear poisonings in the same area as late as the winter of 1964.

In May 1980, a research study was conducted as part of informal cooperative agreement between the US and Mexican governments. It revealed sufficient food and secluded habitat for grizzly bears to exist undetected.

This study yielded large tracks with blunt tipped claws, large (50 kg) overturned rocks, and a 25 minute observation of what the expert crew determined to be a grizzly bear. Jonkel (1980) concluded that due to the abundant food, isolated habitat, wariness of the bears and the grizzly bears ability to survive at low population levels, grizzly bears may still exist in Mexico.

At that time, about 20 year after the last reports of grizzlies, they could still be part of a surviving population, given the 20-25 year life span of bears. Could they still be persisting in Mexico today, 30 years later?

No one can answer that for sure. Although the official line is that “a few brown bears may still exist”. There is little or no money for national parks and reserves in Mexico. So land is set aside privately, sometimes in large tracts. In areas of privately protected land in Mexico there is talk of re-introducing the grizzly bear, Mexican wolf and bison. It’s been done for bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope. And decades ago local ranchers decided to stop killing black bears and protect them instead. Black bear populations have since rebounded.

Could we see grizzly bears living in the southern end of their range? It remains a possibility. Then there is the talk of re-introducing them back into their former range in New Mexico…

References:

www.nmwild.org/wildlife/grizzly-bear
national geographic.com
Grizzly_and_Brown_Bears
www.bearbiology.com

Julie L. Hopkins
Photo credit: Jan van der Crabben

Grizzly Mountain Roadsign

2008-11-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

I ran across this road sign across from Grizzly Mountain on a trip through the North Cascades recently. I was on my way to Montana on my motorcycle, traversing some of the most beautiful wild areas in North America, on my way to a grizzly bear management meeting near Missoula. I've passed the Highway 20 road sign near Mazama on many occasions during my work with GBOP, but this time I was compelled to stop and take a picture. It's a strange thing to think that these mountains once supported a healthy population of North Cascades grizzly bears. Trapping records show that there were once probably hundreds, if not thousands of grizzly bears in this region. In fact almost 4000 hides were shipped out of the region over a 30 year period in the late 1800s. Now fewer than 20 North Cascades grizzly bears remain - in an area covering 10,000 square miles. Interestingly, the last legally killed grizzly bear was shot less than 25 miles from this road sign in the late 60's.

But times are changing. From what we have heard over the last 5 years of GBOP, it's clear that the people of Washington really do support the idea of grizzly bears returning to this ecosystem. Just about everyone we speak to across the Cascades agrees that there is room for both humans and grizzly bears on this landscape. Our most recent research shows that 79% of people "support recovery" - 54% of them "strongly".

In addition, 82% of respondents thought that the grizzly is a symbol of the American frontier and that it should be preserved as part of our national heritage. I think about that tone in a week that has been very patriotic, and it seems fitting that most people in this amazing state want to see a future for grizzly bears beyond a name on a road sign, or the peak of a mountain.

Submitted by Chris Morgan, GBOP Director

Intestines, the Bear Facts

2008-11-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

Many people have seen bear scat; whether it is in pictures, at a zoo or in the wild, it is usually very apparent what the bear had been eating. So how does the food get from one end of the bear to the other?

The teeth start the breakdown process of the food the bear eats. They use their teeth to hold, tear and grind food before swallowing it.

Bears have 42 teeth, except for the sloth bear that only has 40. Humans have 32 teeth.

The dental formula is:
I=3/3, C=1/1, P=3/3,M=1/2 total teeth =42
(Incisors-canines-premolars-molars)

Bears are omnivores that have relatively unspecialized digestive systems similar to those of carnivores. The primary difference is that bears have an elongated digestive tract; an adaptation that allows bears more efficient digestion of vegetation than other carnivores (Herrero 1985). Unlike ruminants, bears do not have a cecum and can only poorly digest the structural components of plants (Mealey 1975). To compensate for inefficient digestion of cellulose, bears maximize the quality of vegetal food items ingested, typically foraging for plants in phenological stages of highest nutrient availability and digestibility (Herrero 1985).

It is thought that the barrel shape of the bear’s body is an indication of a long intestine. Brown bears do have a longer intestinal length than that of a black bear.

Different foods take varying amounts of time to pass through the body. Meat takes about 13 hours while clover takes about 7 hours (Pritchard and Robbins, 1990). Berry seeds pass through unbroken and are able to geminate making bear’s great seed dispersers. Nutrients are also put back into the environment as the feces break down.

These are just two reasons bears are very important to the health of the environment.

Wendy Gardner, GBOP Bear Specialist
photo credit: Dennis Ryan, person belonging to the hat was not eaten
graphic credit:(Clemens 1980; Stevens & Hume 1995)

Grizzly attitudes in Montana

2008-10-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

I just returned from western Montana, where I appeared several places to promote my new book: Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight Over the Great Bear.

I found that local attitudes toward grizzlies differed depending on where I was. In the Bitterroot Valley south of Missoula, where grizzlies have been absent for years, a resident of Salmon, just across the border in Idaho, described the stormy public hearing eight years ago over reintroducing grizzlies into the Bitterroots. The mayor warned wildlife officials at the hearing that he would charge them with murder if anyone around Salmon was killed as a result of bringing back the bears.

In Hamilton, unofficial capital of Montana's Bitterroot Valley, locals told me that grizzly opponents are still vocal, yet a silent but growing majority supports reintroduction. New residents from California and elsewhere. I was told, are moderating local attitudes.

A woman from Helena who likes to hike told me that she doesn't stay home because of grizzlies. She does not hike alone, but she and her friends hike all the time in grizzly country, and they don't wear bells or shout to avoid surprise encounters.

In Butte, a man told me that he thought the biggest problem in managing grizzlies was "too many people."

The clearest message came from a newspaper reporter I met with in Kalispell. He's been covering public land and wildlife issues for many years, spends a lot of time in the hills, and regularly reports in the local paper on grizzly bear news. Sitting between the Cabinet-Yaak and Northern Continental Divide grizzly bear recovery areas, Kalispell is familiar with grizzlies. "I know a lot of rednecks around here and none of them complain about grizzlies," he says. "If a grizzly gets into someone's chicken coop or whatever, it makes for some good bar talk, but that's all." He was surprised to hear about anti-bear attitudes elsewhere. "You'll see bumper stickers that say 'Kill Wolves', but I've never seen one about grizzlies." he insists. "They're just part of the terrain."

submitted by David Knibb, author
Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight Over the Great Bear

"Bears move to town" follow up comments

2008-10-29T11:55:00.001-07:00

Related to the previous BLOG entry I found the following graphic in the most recent issue of High Country News interesting. This graphic is based on data from the Wildlife Conservation Society and Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Click on the above image to enlarge.

Of particular interest were the facts that bears weigh more in urban areas, and that their density per square mile is greater. For instance the density of bears in the wild is 3 per 38 square miles, but in urban areas their density was documented as 120 bears per 38 square miles. Also noted is a decrease in denning period from 100-150 days per year to 50-100 days per year in urban areas, which means that bears are out and about searching for food more of the year. Finally, the age that females first reproduce is reduced, and the numbers of cubs per birthing cycle is increased in urban areas. This increase in reproductive rate is a natural outcome of an abundant food supply – most wildlife will increase their reproductive rate when food supplies are good and reduce their reproductive rate during harder times.

This data points out a positive feedback loop that certainly we humans don’t want to promote. The fact that bears can access an abundant and easy food supply in and around residences not only contributes to challenging bear behaviors, but also increases their reproductive rate and densities. All of this is another indicator of the need to educate citizens, businesses, schools and governmental organizations to make bear attractants inaccessible.

Unfortunately, however, it only takes a few people to contribute significantly to the food conditioning of bears, and not infrequently those that contribute most to the problem are least inclined to change their behavior. Even in parts of Canada where Conservation Officers can fine people who leave non-natural foods accessible to wildlife, large numbers of bears are euthanized each year. So there is no easy answer, but certainly continued education about this issue is warranted.

Nan Laney
Skagit, Whatcom and Northern Snohomish Coordinator
Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP)

Bears abandon wilderness and move to the city

2008-10-28T09:45:00.001-07:00

Bears are deserting traditional mountain and forest ranges and moving into towns where they scavenge for food. This attraction to 'fast food' in urban areas is luring black bears in North America to an early death, scientists have found.

Why? So many young bears are killed in traffic accidents that it is threatening the viability of wild populations.

A 10-year study in the Sierra Nevada Mountains looked at the effects a landscape changed by human activity was having on the black bear (Ursus americanus). Led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) it looked particularly at whether exposure to humans and new food resources in the form of rubbish was affecting bear life history patterns.

Scientists followed 12 female bears in an urban environment and 10 females in wild land habitats from 1997-2006. All 22 bears were sexually immature females who could be followed through their life cycle.

The study, published in the Autumn 2008 issue of the journal Human-Wildlife Conflicts, had to be limited to 10 years because by then all the urban bears had been killed in traffic accidents while six of the bears still living in the wild survived. During the study the team handled a total of 43 female bear cubs and of those 28 (65 per cent) were dead before they reached 15 months of age.

Despite the bear being a protected species in Nevada, 89 bears were killed by vehicles, 27 by agency management actions for public safety, 17 for attacks on livestock, two due to illegal killing, and 16 due to other causes - such as being humanely put down because of their poor condition.

The study found that bears who lived in urban areas weighed an average of 30 per cent more than bears in wild areas due to a diet heavily supplemented by scavenged rubbish. As a result female bears give birth at a much earlier age - on average between four and five years old, compared with seven to eight years for bears in wild areas. Some urban bears around the Lake Tahoe area even produced young as early as two to three years of age.

The scientists concluded there had been a dramatic and rapid ecological shift of bears from the wild to urban areas in only 10 years to the extent that they found only one wild bear in the Carson Range outside the state capital of Carson City where historically they had always existed.

WCS researcher Jon Beckmann, the study's lead author, said: "Urban areas are becoming the ultimate bear traps. Because of an abundant food source - namely garbage - bears are being drawn in from backcountry areas into urbanised landscapes where they meet their demise."

The WCS is studying the effects of urban sprawl on a variety of wildlife and habitats in north America and is working with local authorities to increase the use of bear-proof rubbish containers and improve education efforts to reduce human-bear conflicts.

First published in the Telegraph. Read the full story.

Poor Huckleberry Crop May Lead to Fewer Bear Cubs Next Spring

2008-10-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

I’ve noticed while hiking in the high country this late summer and fall that something is notably missing – huckleberries. I’ve done a fair amount of hiking this year – on the PCT between Rainy Pass and the Canadian border, and closer to home on the northern and southern slopes of Mount Baker. Consistently I’ve seen small huckleberry crops in the alpine areas. I know the trails on the slopes of Mount Baker well, and my estimate is that the huckleberry crops there are 5-10% of a normal fall crop, depending on location. Aspect, shade / sun and soil are influencing factors in berry yields, but mostly the poor berry crop is a reflection of the late-arriving summer and unusual weather this year.

The fact that we are having a poor berry crop this year is contributing to increased human-bear conflicts in some instances. Bears are involved in something called “hyperphagia” in the late summer and fall. Hyperphagia is essentially a feeding frenzy to put on weight for the winter denning period. When food crops are scarce, such as they have been this year, bears can find human garbage, bird feeders, orchards and compost even more attractive than when there are good natural food supplies. In my experience the years with the most human-bear conflicts are the years when natural food supplies for bears are most limited.

A poor berry crop this year will result in some bears going into their dens under their ideal weight. For females who have been bred this summer who are underweight this may mean that they will come out of the den next spring without cubs. Bears have developed an evolutionary survival strategy called “delayed implantation.” What this means is that while breeding season is May through July, the fertilized egg is not implanted until the female goes into the den in October or November. If a bred female goes into the den in poor physical condition the fertilized egg(s) will not be implanted, but will instead by sloughed off, and she will come out of the den the following spring without cubs.

Polar bears will likely suffer the same fate as receding sea ice due to global warming inhibits their ability to hunt seals. This is their primary food source and will result in decreased denning wieghts.

Interestingly I’m taking a class at the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor to meet the continuing education requirements for my teaching certificate. Last week we had a guest speaker, Dr Joe Gaydos, a veterinarian who works for SeaDoc Society, come share information with us about Mustelids. (Mustilids are the largest family of carnivores and include river otter, sea otter, mink and about 60 other species.) I was fascinated to learn that many (maybe all) Mustelids also have delayed implantation. In the case of mink, fertilized eggs are not typically implanted until 30 days after breeding, and gestation is 27-33 days. Delayed implantation obviously has survival advantages or it would not have evolved, and I find it fascinating, amazing really.

Nan Laney, GBOP field coordinator

You make the call- Grizzly? or Black Bear?

2008-10-08T09:22:00.001-07:00

Each year a fair number of people report seeing a grizzly bear in the North Cascades. Some even take photos. Field biologists from the various agencies and non-profits examine these photos to try and determine if indeed they are grizzly bears or just large brown black bears.

You be the referree. These photos were all recently submitted with sighting reports.

So, what features make a big brown bear a grizzly? Black bears and grizzlies overlap in both size and color.

Grizzlies have a large, defined shoulder hump. A big block head with small looking ears. Large claws, very large indeed. A face profile that is dished.

Black bears have a small or no defined hump. Large ears compared to their head size. A long snout that has a face profile that is straight. Claws that are rather small.

Most folks do not want to go up to the bear and examine it's claws. However a good track will tell you if the bear was a black bear or a grizzly.

Learn more at the GBOP website about identifying bears.

If you see a grizz, call 1.800.WOLFBEAR or report the sighting at the GBOP website.

Alas, none of these photos can be classified as a grizzly. Therefore, they are most likely large brown black bears.

NEW BOOK CHRONICLES EFFORT TO SAVE GRIZZLIES

2008-09-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

What does one do to save from extinction a creature as cantankerous and controversial as the grizzly bear? Do grizzlies still live in the North Cascades and what will it take to prevent them from dying out?

Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight Over the Great Bear, slated for publication in early October, examines these and many other questions about the contentious effort to recover grizzly bears in the Cascades and Northern Rockies, where they have been listed under the Endangered Species Act for more than 30 years.

Author David Knibb, a naturalist, lawyer, and author, shuns the role of an advocate to explain the issues. He uses the North Cascades to illustrate many of them -- how recovery areas were picked, states rights, rural and urban conflicts, hiker anxieties, genetic concerns caused by isolation, minimum viable populations, and issues about moving bears from one area to another.

From the Cascades the book broadens to look at national wildlife politics and the five other recovery areas in the Northern Rockies. Knibb examines the key issues in each, including the debate over last year's decision to remove Yellowstone's grizzlies from the list of threatened species. In the process he discusses the critical role of states, the need for links between recovery areas, distinct populations, and cooperation with Canada on bears along the border.

In a separate chapter devoted to Canada, Knibb reviews the status and challenges facing grizzlies in British Columbia and Alberta.

In a foreword, Lance Craighead praises Knibb for reporting on such a controversial topic in a "careful and admirably unbiased" way. The book also earns praise from Doug Peacock, noted bear advocate, Brock Evans, president of the Endangered Species Coalition, and others.

For more description, see the publisher's catalog at: http://ewupress.ewu.edu/nonfiction/Grizzlywars.htm.

After mid-October Grizzly Wars will be available in bookstores, or you can order it from Eastern Washington University Press at: http://ewupress.ewu.edu/howtoorder.htm

Dogs and People working Together to Save Bears

2008-09-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

The Wind River Bear Institute (WRBI), together with its Partners-In-Life Program®, is an innovative program that is saving the lives of bears by changing the way they are managed and viewed by wildlife agencies and the public. The goal of this program is to reduce conflicts between humans and bears so the two can coexist in an ever shrinking world.

The WRBI uses knowledge of bear ecology and behavior to find solutions to human-bear conflicts and develop ways to prevent problems in the future. Most conflicts arise from bears getting human foods as well as pet food, livestock feed, bird seed and fruits from orchards. Bears that are habituated to people or are food conditioned are bears that have in most cases lost their fear of people; most attacks on humans have involved bears that were habituated or food conditioned.

Many people feel that “problem” bears should either be relocated or destroyed, but neither of these is a long term solution and both can be expensive and time consuming. Many “problem” bears that have been relocated return to where they were causing problems and end up being killed because the true problem, habituation and/or food conditioning, is not resolved.

Carrie Hunt, Director of the Wind River Bear Institute, developed and implemented what she calls Bear Shepherding®. This bear management technique uses Karelian Bear Dogs to teach bears how to recognize and avoid human boundaries.

Karelian Bear Dogs (KBD) originated in Finland where they were used mainly for hunting. They are extremely intelligent, fearless and have enormous energy making them a perfect match for the Partner’s In Life Program and for bear shepherding. KBD’s are a medium sized black and white dog that is very strong and muscular. They range in weight from 40-70 pounds and are 19-24 inches tall.

“The key components of the WRBI’s “Partners In Life Program” are that it emphasizes concurrent work on-site to teach people correct behaviors to reduce conflicts when living or recreating in bear country AND to rehabilitate and teach ”problem” bears correct behaviors on-site as well, through a non-lethal technique called Bear Shepherding®. This technique utilizes a strict protocol developed by WRBI to condition bears in the wild to modify undesirable behaviors that will lead to the eventual need to euthanize the bear, and as such, is the first of its kind. Bear Shepherding utilizes operant conditioning techniques where the bear learns to associate a human voice yelling “Get Out of Here Bear” with a painful or scary aversive stimulus causing it to leave or fade into cover as a wild bear should.... which teaches bears with problem behaviors to recognize and avoid human boundaries and developed sites. The Shepherding techniques teach the bears to control what happens by making correct choices. For example, when the KBDs “shepherd” a bear into appropriate cover or the bear otherwise leaves an area where it should not be, the Partners-In-Life team removes the “pressure” on the bear by recalling the KBDs. Bears may experience this training at the site of conflict or within areas they naturally inhabit, called their “home range.” This positive approach builds on the way bears operate and learn in the wild and uses their natural recognition of personal space and dominance hierarchies.

Since the Program began in 1996, several hundred bears and other wildlife conflicts have been handled annually by the Programs teams and extended Program “Family” of KBD/Handler teams. There have been no injuries to dogs, bears or handlers; a true testament to the commitment and training of both the WRBI teams and the dogs they work with.

The WRBI placed 2 of their KBD pups for use as Wildlife Service Dogs in Washington State. All dogs and owners are cared for, trained and handled, according to strict WRBI Program protocols to ensure safety and effectiveness for the Service Dog/Handler teams. The two Karelian Bear Dogs working in Washington State are both with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife employees. “Mishka” works with Bruce Richards, Wildlife Law Enforcement Officer, and “Cash” works with Rich Beausoleil, Cougar and Bear Specialist.

Wind River Bear Institute is a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation that relies on the generous support of private donors who believe in the value of their work.

Posted by Wendy Gardner; GBOP Bear Specialist, Woodland Park Zoo keeper

Making Interstates More Wildlife Friendly

2008-09-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

The fiinal Environmental Impact Statement has been released for the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass Project located outside of Seattle in Washington state. One facet of this project is to make this section of the interstate more wildlife friendly.

For the last few years the Washington State Dept. of Transportation has engaged several groups in the planning process to expand a section of Interstate 90 just east of Snoqualmie Pass. Among the groups has been the I-90 Bridges Coalition, a non-profit group that has spent countless hours setting up remote camera stations and doing winter tracking studies. This information has helped the WaDOT determine where wildlife are crossing this major freeway and where wildlife bridges might be placed for the best use. This has been a landmark project in the collaboration of government agencies and private groups to forward a large project to everyone's benefit.

Wildlife bridges have been proposed or installed over highways in the US, Canada, Slovenia, Germany, France and others. They are found to be well used and benificial to the wildlife and to the safety of drivers. Check out these photos.

For animals, the ability to cross I-90 and move north or south to disperse is criticaly important for all species, but especially those with large ranges like the grizzly bear. An Environmental Impact Statement gathers the best science and details the options for how best to move forward with the project. Several public meetings, at which comments will be recieved, are scheduled for September.

Here are more details:

The I-90 project will improve safety for people and wildlife from Hyak to Easton on the major east-west roadway in Washington State.

Structures for wildlife passage would be built at the 14 major wildlife crossing areas within the project. This will increase safety by reducing collissions between wildlife and vehicles, and help in connecting the wildlife habitat that is currently seperated by the highway.

Wildlife passage will be improved by:

Replacing narrow bridges and culverts with longer, wider bridges and culverts to allow wildlife to move under the highway.

Adding wildlife exclusion fences and other features to keep wildlife off the highway and direct them to safe crossing structures.

Adding 2 vegetated wildlife overpasses at strategic locations to allow animals to move over the highway.

The release of this important document is a key step in the timeline for the project, and signals that construction for the first funded phase will begin soon. The first 5 miles of the project are already funded by funds from the Washington State Legislature, and construction is to begin in 2010. There is no funding to date for the remaining 10 miles of the project, but a wide variety of voices are asking our federal congressional representatives to find funding in the upcoming Highway Reauthorization Bill.

Visit I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition to learn more about the additional funding needs for this project.

Julie L. Hopkins

Berries, Berries and Bears

2008-08-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

Bears lose 30% to 40% of their body weight while hibernating. It’s important that they regain this weight before returning to the den in late fall. Mountain grizzlies and black bears rely on plants for a large part of their diet and it is during berry season that much of this weight gain is accomplished.

During spring and summer bears replenish their levels of protein, but it’s during late summer and fall that large doses of carbohydrates supply the weight gain necessary for winter survival.

The US Dept of Agriculture has analyzed the nutritional value of many foods. You can view this data at their site the Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. A quick look tells why berries are an excellent source of carbohydrates and why a good berry crop during the fall is so important to the bears. The following data for a few select foods is based on 100 grams of raw material.

• Spinach, a representative green leafy food, contains 23 kCal of energy, 2.86 grams of protein, .39 grams of fat and 3.63 grams of carbohydrates.

• Blueberries, more than twice the energy value and almost four times the carbohydrate level, contains 57 kCal of energy, .74 grams of protein, .33 grams of fat and 14.49 grams of carbohydrates.

• Insects, represent a significant protein source in the summer, contain 20.6 grams of protein, 6.1 grams of fat and 3.9 grams of carbohydrates.

• Salmon makes up a large portion of the Alaskan Brown Bear’s diet. Winter killed deer and elk are important protein sources when bears first emerge from the den. Salmon and venison, almost equal in nutritional value, contains 157 kCal of energy, 21.8 grams of protein, 7.13 grams of fat and 0 grams of carbohydrates. Just about what you get from an insect!

Notice that the food available in the wild does not contain high levels of fat. Fat is generated by the bears from consuming large amounts of carbohydrates.

Additionally, blueberries are rich in Vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene as well as rich in the minerals potassium, manganese and magnesium. They are very high in fiber and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. But this is just the tip of the nutritional iceberg, for recent studies tell us that of all fresh fruits and vegetables, berries provide the most health-protecting antioxidants, those valuable elements which prevent cancer-causing cell damage and may limit the changes wrought by age related diseases.

The Great Outdoors is Calling

2008-07-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

TrailsFest serves up a jam-packed day of outdoor adventure.

Event details:
TrailsFest 2008
Saturday, July 19, 9am – 4pm
Rattlesnake Lake, North Bend
www.trailsfest.org

This outdoor extravaganza features clinics on everything from wilderness first aid to hiking with kids to backcountry cooking. Take a guided hike, tie a fly on, or climb a rock wall. Try out a new s’mores recipe, or hang out with packgoats. Visit the GBOP booth and say "hi", or the dozens of exhibitors, including gear companies and outdoor groups. I will be giving a "Living with Bears" talk at 2:00 at the Cedar Watershed Education Center. It's all at TrailsFest!

Been wanting to explore the North Cascades? Attend a clinic with Craig Romano, author of Day Hiking – North Cascades published by Mountaineers Books. Learn how to whip up a tasty backcountry meal in no time from the author of Freezer Bag Cooking. Want to be a responsible hiker with your dog? Check out the clinic on hiking with dogs and trail etiquette. Wanting to try backpacking? Go to Hilleberg the Tentmaker’s clinic on smart packing and learn how to take less, still be comfortable and safe, and have lots more fun!

TrailsFest is presented every summer by Washington Trails Association. Sponsors for TrailsFest 2008 include Hilleberg the Tentmaker, KPLU, Green Trails Maps, REI, CLIF Nectar, Outdoor Research, Gregory, Chaco, Teko, Helly Hansen, Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods, Freezer Bag Cooking, and Marmot Mountain Works.

TrailsFest is your passport to the great outdoors this summer, and admission is free!

To get to TrailsFest, take I-90 to exit 32, then turn right on 436th Ave SE. Follow this road 2.7 miles to Rattlesnake Lake.

Julie L. (Hayes) Hopkins - GBOP field organizer

Are you "On Track"?

2008-07-10T16:18:00.001-07:00

One of the best ways to tell the difference between a grizzly and a black bear is to analyze a track. Grizzly tracks denote long claws and have a flat pad. The pad of a black bear is predominately curved. Detailed track ID tips can be found at the GBOP website.

These photos of a grizzly track were taken by Scott Fisher, Washington DNR, in the Pend Oreille area of eastern Washington. The first photo is a front track and the second photo is a rear track.

This photo of a black bear track was taken near Loup Loup Pass in Okanogan County.

Alas, a good track is not what you always get. Many times it is a partial track or the features of the track are distorted by the terrain. To be so heavy, bears can tread very lightly.

The above photo was sent to us as a possible grizzly track. It was passed around and the responses were quite interesting. No supporting information other than the photo was given to those responding. Judge for yourself:

“It strikes me as a black bear that is turning to its left dragging claw marks in the mud. I think I see the same holes just ahead of the toe pads that may have been the claw marks when the foot was first planted. Those marks appear to be only about 0.75 inch out from the toe. The pad width appears to be no more than 4 inches and this would suggest, if grizzly, a bear that is 2 years old or less and at least somewhat likely to be accompanied by a mother or siblings. All considered, it appears to be a black bear.” - US Fish and Wildlife Service

“Definitely a challenge. Tough to say where the bottom of the outside toe starts, which affects the line test. Also, I'm thinking the three longer claw marks may be a result of those claws being dragged, rather than the actual claw impressions. If so, then the actual claw marks are more consistent with black bear.” – Washington Dept Fish & Wildlife

“It suggests a black bear walking in slickey muck. The overall arc of the paw & toes supports this, as does the line test (allowing for slippage & sometimes toes aren't all over or all under the line). The claws most likely show up because it's in oozy goo, and the bear dragged its foot a little as it walked on. One can see the results of that on all 5 toes.” – National Park Service

“Tracking is something I can talk about, as a life-long tracker, and I agree that it is a black bear. The track has a counter-clockwise rotational torque on the foot caused by a slick surface.” - US Fish and Wildlife Service

To properly analyze a track many experts will carefully photo the track, then draw a picture and carefully measure all dimensions of the track. For a permanent record, a plaster casting can be made.

IGBC Committee 25th Anniversary

2008-06-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). A jovial celebration and presentation of awards on June 21 was held at the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area in Seeley Lake, Montana, north of Missoula.

What is the IGBC, you say? It is a group formed of federal and state agency representatives, established in 1983, with the goal of leading grizzly bear recovery in the lower 48 states. The committee is in charge of implementing the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan, and all management and research activities necessary to provide for recovery of the grizzly bear. They make joint recommendations to Federal agency heads and Governors. Each recovery ecosystem has its own subcommittee that reports to this executive committee.

After 2 days of business meetings there was celebration, and socializing. The 25th Anniversary Celebration was outdoors at Rich Ranch, plopped in the middle of grizzly bear territory. In fact, a short walk from the lunch tent, were grizzly bear tracks. Speakers included Gail Kimbell, Chief of the US Forest Service; Bob Barbee, Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park; and Chris Servheen, the Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for the IGBC. But everybody was wow-ed by the keynote speaker Stan Tixier, 2nd IGBC Chairman, Retired US Forest Service and Cowboy Poet Extraordinaire. He is a long, tall cowboy and as classy as they come.

Among the award recipients was our own Chris Morgan, for achievement in communications and education. Congratulations, Chris.

GBOP was represented by Chris Morgan, Wendy Gardner and myself. We were asked to give a presentation at the business meeting and provide a booth at the celebration, which was also attended by the public. GBOP was brightly received, with lots of positive feedback, much interest and many congratulations for the good work we are doing in the North Cascades of Washington.

Julie L. (Hayes) Hopkins

The Grizzly Bear - a cowboy poem

2008-06-25T10:35:00.001-07:00

Consider now the Grizzly Bear, there’s information I could share
About this noble, fearsome beast, of which we used to know the least
Of any mammal of its, size, carnivorous or otherwise.

Let’s classify the Grizzly Bear, because you know we really care,
Its Latin name is sure to thrill us, Ursus arctos horribilis,
It isn’t every day you see the Grizzly Bear’s taxonomy.

The western US, most of that, was its historic habitat,
Look at a map and you can see the Grizzly Bear’s geography,
Today the range in which it mates is limited to just four States.

That doesn’t count Alaska though, or Canada, just States below,
Montana has the most, you know, but Washington and Idaho,
Also Wyoming have a few, besides the San Diego Zoo.

One hundred thousand used to roam and call the western US home,
Now only one percent or less live in the lower west US,
And they’re no longer everywhere that used to host the Grizzly Bear.

The problem all across the nation is encroached civilization,
Now people play and houses go on spaces the Grizzly used to know,
The bear must now get by with less, in forests, parks and wilderness.

You ask, “What does the Grizzly eat?’ Just anything, let me repeat,
The Grizzly’s never known to fuss ‘bout food ‘cause he’s omnivorous,
There’s grass and berries, grubs a treat, and carrion, all kinds of meat.

Another Grizzly food is fish; it’s just about his favorite dish,
There’s ants and pine nuts, roots and bark, a ground squirrel and a meadowlark,
And if it has a putrid smell, the Bear enjoys it very well.

That’s why when garbage is around, or dug up from beneath the ground,
The Grizzly gets an easy meal, which constitutes a crummy deal,
For we should not, a Bear so great, with human food, habituate.

Sometimes a band of wooly sheep will tempt a Grizzly Bear to leap
Upon a lamb, perhaps a ewe, and thus enjoy a feast or two,
Sheep ranchers then may have to change to country out of Grizzly range.

When walking in the woods, take care, you may not see the Grizzly Bear,
So, whistle, sing or ring a bell; make lots of noise so they can tell
There’s people that they might avoid, but crowd their space, they’ll be annoyed.

They may attack if you’re too near, or bluff a charge to make you fear,
So stand your ground or maybe fall and roll yourself into a ball,
But one thing that you must beware: “You can’t outrun a Grizzly Bear!”

And when you camp where Grizzlies live, take extra care that you don’t give
Them easy access to your food; you’ll find the Bear extremely rude
And most aggressive to procure whatever that you don’t secure.

So hang your food away up high, but never pitch your tent nearby,
Don’t go to bed in clothes you wear to cook, because the Grizzly Bear
May sniff you out, because his nose detects the smell of food on clothes.

Grizzlies eat all summer season huge amounts and here’s the reason:
They must build up thick fat store, because for five long months or more,
Though it is hard to contemplate, they neither eat nor defecate.

As winter comes, the Bear will crave to dig a small and cozy cave,
Grizzlies practice hibernation; sows complete their odd gestation,
So cubs or born inside the dens, and bare and blind, their lives begin.

This tiny runt without much hair, you’d scarce believe a Grizzly Bear,
But they find mama’s warmth and milk, until their coats are smooth as silk,
They venture out one fine spring day, with mama showing them the way.

In fact, she teaches them it all, from early spring until late fall,
And then they dig another den, and sleep all winter long again,
The season when the cubs are two, their time with mama is all through.

And she hunts up a handsome boar, or he finds her, I’m not quite sure,
In any case, they mate in spring, and then takes place the strangest thing,
Just like suspended animation, it’s called, “delayed implantation.”

Which means, although the sow’s gestation takes two months, a strange gyration,
The tiny embryos don’t grow, until her den is under snow,
So, while in spring the two Bears mate, the pregnancy is five months late.

Grizzly Bears are solitary, all alone and always wary
Of people, even other bears, and so he rarely ever shares
His food and/or his favorite places, doesn’t care to see new faces.

It was in nineteen seventy-three, that Congress, though not all agree,
Produced a most important pact, call the Endangered Species Act,
And Grizzlies, to complete the story, are in a “threatened” category.

And so, recovery is the goal, and many actors play a role,
Their fate is up to you and me, with guidance from the IGBC,
Let’s show the world we really care, and let’s conserve the Grizzly Bear!

Provided with kind permission from Stan Tixier, cowboy poet and second chairman of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee ,IGBC, (1985-1987).

Polar bears at the Burke

2008-06-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Seattle polar bears fans,

I thought you'd be interested in this polar bear event at the Burke museum in Seattle this coming weekend featuring Steve Kazlowski's images and a talk by my polar bear research colleague Dr Steve Amstrup.

This event "The Last Polar Bear" features stunning photography by wildlife photographer Steven Kazlowski , who has dedicated over eight years of work to bring to life the immediate reality of this most pressing environmental crisis — the devastation of the Arctic ecosystem through global warming.

The Burke offers a full day of talks and activities with something for the whole family. Join us for displays of arctic research and arctic mammals, as well as talks by leading experts on polar bears and the fight to save them.

WALKS AND TALKS

10:30 am ~ Gallery Tour
The Last Polar Bear author and photographer Steven Kazlowski leads a 30 minute tour of the exhibit.

11:30 am ~ Burke Room Lecture
Polar Bears; How Their Lifestyles Make Them Vulnerable to Climate Change. Dr. Steven Amstrup, Research Wildlife Biologist for United States Geological Survey's Alaska Science Center, will talk about polar bear population dynamics, social structure, foraging practices, habitat preferences, and how reduced sea ice is likely to affect them.

12:30 pm ~ Gallery Tour
The Last Polar Bear author and photographer Steven Kazlowski leads a 30 minute tour of the exhibit.

1:30 pm ~ Burke Room Lecture
The whole Polar Bear truth... and nothing but the truth.

Executive Director of the Alaska Wilderness League, Cindy Shogan, will discuss her vehement opposition to oil drilling on the North Slope of Alaska. Learn the latest polar bear politics from a self described D.C. political addict, and hear what you can do to help protect this critical species.

Hope to see you there.

Governor proclaims official Bear Awareness Week

2008-05-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

May 12-18 devoted to increasing awareness about the black and grizzly bears of Washington

As bears begin to emerge from winter sleep, they can be assured that Washington residents are going to be a little more informed about them this year, thanks to a new official Bear Awareness Week proclamation signed by Governor Christine Gregoire.

“Black bears and grizzly bears face very different problems here in Washington”, says Chris Morgan, ecologist and director of the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project, the organization at the center of Bear Awareness Week activities. “As more and more people move into black bear habitat, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for these adaptable creatures to ignore temptations”. Temptations such as human garbage, bird seed, and fruit trees. “But for the super-rare grizzly bear it is a more grave concern - avoiding extinction”, he added.

Governor Gregoire established Bear Awareness Week to encourage people to learn more about our ursine neighbors, how to avoid conflicts with them, and to appreciate these majestic creatures in Washington - one of just four states that is wild enough to still support both species of bear.

Although there are some 25,000 black bears in Washington, fewer than 30 grizzly bears remain in the North Cacades and Selkirk Mountains. Biologists believe there may be as few as 10 individual grizzly bears in the Cascades, a ten-thousand square mile ecosystem that was designated as a grizzly bear recovery zone by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee in 1991.

Morgan and his team of local outreach staff work across the North Cascades to bring information about grizzly and black bears to people - especially those living in bear country. Dennis Ryan, GBOP’s field person in Okanogan County commented, “We were delighted when the Governor agreed to establish Bear Awareness Week. GBOP is all about distributing accurate, helpful facts about bears as broadly as possible, and this definitely helps”.

Although several grizzly bear sightings are reported each year, verification can be difficult given the elusive nature of the species. Black bears on the other hand have already been showing up in some unusual places this year. “Both Renton and Puyallup have had black bears in town, usually young bears that are still trying to establish a home range”, says Morgan, adding that there are many simple steps people can take to keep bears in the woods and out of harm’s way. For example, hanging bird feeders high, storing garbage where bears can’t get at it and putting it out as close to pick-up time as possible.

Still, serious bear conflicts are rare, and research conducted by the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project shows wide public support for grizzly bear conservation. For the US Fish and Wildlife Service, grizzly bear recovery in Washington will largely depend upon an engaged public that can base opinions on facts rather than on myths about these creatures. “It’s gratifying to see that people want to know more about grizzly bears, and generally support efforts to conserve them,” said Doug Zimmer from the Fish and Wildlife Service in Olympia.

Other outreach project supporters include, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Conservation Northwest, and Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Lisa Dabek, Director of Field Conservation at Woodland Park Zoo witnesses the popularity of bears on a regular basis. “They are one of our most popular animals here at the zoo - very charismatic ambassadors for northwest ecosystems”.

“For many”, says Chris Morgan, “that is the true essence of the bear - the spirit of the northwest”.

The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project and partners will be celebrating Bear Awareness Week with several events, listed below.

GBOP Bear Awareness Week Activities, May 12-18

Nan Laney supports the northwest side of the North Cascades 360.856.5076, nlaney@fidalgo.net:

Tuesday, May 13, 7pm - presentation at Backcountry Essentials in Bellingham. The presentation will focus on the North Cascades grizzly bear – a species on the knife-edge of extinction in our own backyard.

Saturday, May 17, 6pm - dinner and presentation in Concrete with special guest Anne Braaten, Wildlife Biologist for North Cascades National Park, who will be sharing her experiences and knowledge regarding the bear shepherding techniques pioneered by Carrie Hunt of Wind River Bear Institute. GBOP’s Nan Laney will share additional information about being Bear Smart, and ways that rural residents and backcountry recreationists can prevent the human-food-conditioning of our resident black bears.

Dennis Ryan supports the northeast side of the North Cascades 509.923.2464, dryan@methow.com:

Tuesday, May 13 - presentation to the Omak teachers and students at the wilderness retreat at Camp Disautel. This retreat has been held for over 50 years. This will mark the third year of GBOP's involvement.

Saturday, May 17, 9am until 3pm – ‘Bear Awareness Day’ will be sponsored by GBOP and hosted at the North Cascades Basecamp in Mazama. Join us for a day long look at bears of the North Cascades including their biology, habitat and behavior. Learn to use a remote camera, look for bear sign and be bear safe. Get an update on the status of grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades.

Julie L. (Hayes) Hopkins supports the I-90 corridor 425.223.7648,jlhayes.biologist@yahoo.com:

Tuesday, May 13 – “Living with Bears” presentation at Cle Elum Middle School for the Environmental Science classes.

Thursday, May 15 – “Grizzly Bear Recovery” presentation at Evergreen College for the Protected Areas Class. Friday, May 16th, 7pm - information table at the ‘Groovin' for Grizzlies’ celebration, 7pm at Boundary Bay Brewery in Bellingham, sponsored by Conservation NW. This is a family event.

Wendy Gardner 206.947.2374, wendy.gardner@zoo.org:

Wednesday, May 14 – an information table will be set up at the Woodland Park Zoo from 10am until 2pm.

Thursday, May 15 – an information table will be set up at the Greenwood Library from 1pm until 4pm.

Background Information:

• The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) is a non-advocacy information and education program with support from 18 government and non-government organizations: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Seattle City Light, Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, Woodland Park Zoo, Conservation Northwest, Seattle, USDA Forest Service, Defenders of Wildlife, Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, REI, National Park Service, WILDTIME Foods Grizzlies Brand, Grizzly Industrial, Canopy, Counter Assault, Living with Wildlife Foundation, Sanitary Service Company, Foothills Gazette.

• GBOP’s mission is to ‘Promote an accurate understanding of grizzly bears and their recovery in the North Cascades though community education and involvement’.

Bear Awareness Day, Saturday May, 17th, 9am to 3pm

2008-04-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Washington State Bear Awareness Week the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) will sponsor a Bear Awareness Day. This event will be hosted by the North Cascades Basecamp in Mazama.

Planned activities include:
• What's in your woods?, using a remote camera - Dennis Ryan.
• Exploring bear sign, tracking and ID - Gabe Spence.
• Bear habitat, biology and behavior - Scott Fitkin, WDFW.
• Review the status of grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades.

Please bring your own bag lunch and wear clothes appropriate for short walks in the woods. Information about bear safety and being bear smart around your home will be available. There will be a demonstration of the effectiveness of bear pepper spray.

Join us for all or part of the day. Contact Dennis Ryan at dryan@methow.com or (509) 923-2464 if you have any questions or need directions. RSVP appreciated.

The North Cascades Basecamp is offering a discount for those wishing to stay the night or weekend.

Contact Josh Kerns:
North Cascades Basecamp & Lodging
255 Lost River Road, Mazama, WA 98833
509.996.2334
info@ncbasecamp.com, www.ncbasecamp.com

Woodland Park Zoo Bear event

2008-04-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Woodland Park Zoo celebrated the fourth annual Bear Affair day on Saturday , April 5th. The day began with Zoo staff hosting a behind the scenes tour to a group of 40 folks invited by GBOP to get an opportunity to meet the 950 pound grizzly brothers, Denali and Keema, up close and personal. The bears have a profound impression on everyone they meet. The group was also treated to a tour and overview of the wolf compound.

Later that morning an unsafe campsite was setup in their compound. The bears enthusiaticly demostrated what bears do to a camp left unattended and full of food. Its amazing to watch the systematic search for items hidden in tents, sleeping bags and coolers. This year a raft was placed in their swimming area. Inside was a tasty salmon.

In the afternoon items which might atteact bears to your home were placed in their compound. Included were a greasy grill, bird food feeder and two types of garbage containers. This photo says it all. The normal garbage container was destroyed in less than 30 seconds. However, the bear resistant garbage container withstood repeated assaults by both bears and remained intact. If you live in bear country, this is definitely the type of container you need. This container is a product of UnBearable Bins.

The crowd loved the demonstration almost as much as the bears loved putting on a show. Afterward they were ready for a nap.

A news crew from King 5 TV was on hand to cover the event. They ran a segment on the evening news which highlighted the need to avoid attracting bears and creating a conflict scenerio. The segment included the bear which closed the Puyallup park for a weekend. You can view the on air segment at the KING 5 website. Harriet Allen, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, gave two talks on wolf issues faced by the state during the day. All the events were attended by large crowds.

Many thanks to the Zoo staff for the flawless execution of an eventful day.

Whatcom County supports Grizzly Bear recovery in the North Cascades

2008-03-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Whatcom County Council passed the following resolution on March 11th, 2008. This resolution voices support for the implementation of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan which was approved in 1997.

• Whatcom County’s wildlife and wild places are a core part of life in this beautiful county;

• The Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan encourages actions which “protect and enhance natural systems which provide economic, ecological, aesthetic, and cultural benefit (Goal 11H), and “protect and enhance natural systems that support…wildlife populations and habitat” (Goal 11J);

• There are many ecological, economic, and spiritual benefits to conserving and recovering grizzly bears and other native wildlife as an integral part of our county’s natural heritage, quality of life and identity;

• Chapter 2 of the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan states that “maintaining healthy fish and wildlife populations is a vital goal in maintaining the quality of life in Whatcom County”;

• Grizzly bears are an “umbrella species” the conservation of which will benefit dozens of other plants and animals;

• The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that over $1.7 billion is spent annually in the US on wildlife watching activities, supporting more than 21,000 jobs;

• The people of Whatcom County take great pride in their county’s internationally significant wildlife legacy;

• The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has identified the North Cascades as one of only six grizzly bear recovery zones in the lower 48 states and the only grizzly bear recovery zone outside of the Rocky Mountains;

• The US Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are less than 20 bears left in the North Cascades - a number too low to be self-sustaining;

• The federal government is mandated under the Endangered Species Act to protect and recover endangered wildlife populations;

• The federal North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan has been in place for a decade but has not been fully implemented;

• The State of Washington and other public and private entities have appropriated funds for a public process under federal law to implement recovery planning.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council urges the United States Congress to appropriate necessary funding through the 2009 federal appropriations process and urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to immediately implement the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan including all necessary actions identified by their biologists to recover this highly endangered grizzly bear population.

Everyone at GBOP would like to sincerely thank each member of the Whatcom County Council in supporting North Cascade Grizzly Bear recovery and their leadership role in setting an example for others to follow.

Governor Gregoire declares week of May 12 - 18 'Bear Awareness Week'

2008-03-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

On February 28, 2008 Governor Christine Gregoire proclaimed May 12-18, 2008, as 'Bear Awareness Week' in Washington State, and urged all citizens to join in this special observance.

The proclamation stressed the following points:

• Washington’s wildlife and wild places are a core part of life in this beautiful state;

• Washington’s forests and coastlines harbor one of the largest populations of black bears in the United States, and Washington is one of only five lower 48 states that is still wild enough to harbor a small number of grizzly bears, a federally-protected threatened species, both in the North Cascades and Selkirk Mountains;

• It is in the public interest to understand the ecology, behavior, and conservation of bears, and there is an ongoing need for widespread education and outreach concerning their welfare to enable peaceful coexistence with people who live or spend time in bear country;

• The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project, in partnership with multiple government and non-government organizations, is committed to providing accurate information about bears through innovative programs that engage the public;

• There are many ecological, economic, and spiritual benefits to promoting bears as a desirable part of our state’s natural heritage;

• The people of Washington State take great pride in their state’s wildlife legacy that is internationally significant.

Special events to celebrate Bear Awareness Week and provide educational opportunities about the bears of Washington are being planned. Stay tuned to this BLOG for further details.

photo credit: Wayne Lynch

North Cascades Grizzly Bear Subcommittee Meeting, Tuesday April 22nd

2008-03-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

The next meeting of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Subcommittee will be held at the US Forest Service Ranger Station in North Bend, Washington from 10 AM to 2:30 PM on April 22, 2008.

An agenda for the meeting will be posted on the North Cascades Recovery Ecosystem webpage of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) website at www.IGBCONLINE.org as soon as it is finalized.

North Cascades Subcommittee meetings occur several times per year on both the east and west sides of the North Cascades. The public is always invited to attend and, for interested persons, there is time allotted for providing public comment during the meeting.

Even if you are not able to make the meeting, the IGBC website is a great place to learn more about grizzly bears, the IGBC and what’s happening in the 6 recovery ecosystems in the lower 48 states.

Submitted by:
Nan Laney
Skagit, Whatcom and Northern Snohomish Coordinator
Grizzly Bear Outreach Project
Sedro-Woolley, WA

Join GBOP at Woodland Park Zoo (April 5) and REI (April 16)

2008-03-06T11:01:00.000-08:00

Woodland Park Zoo and GBOP are hosting the annual Bear Affair Day on Saturday, April 5th.

Also join Chris Morgan, bear biologist, director of the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project and Producer of the feature documentary BEARTREK at the downtown Seattle REI on Wednesday, April 16th beginning at 7 pm.

On April 5th Woodland Park Zoo staff will give presentations at the various bear and wolf exhibits. REI and GBOP will set up a non-safe camp in the Grizzly Bear exhibit so that you can see what happens when bears encounter a camp full of food. A limited number of free WPZ tickets and behind the scene tour opportunities are available.

Contact Dennis Ryan at dryan@methow.com to sign up.

On April 16th travel from Spitzbergen to Spain, and learn how bears have struck the human imagination for thousands of years. On our own doorstep, the North American grizzly bear has garnered its fair share of acclaiming folklore. From old campfire tales to the film, Grizzly Man, accounts of the grizzly’s power, strength and grace have inspired curiosity and fear.

Come learn the truth about the elusive North Cascades grizzly bear as well as bears in wild locations like Spain, Canada, Pakistan, Ecuador, and Svalbard. REI is proud to welcome Chris Morgan, bear biologist, filmmaker, and director of the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP). Chris will present a stunning, highly entertaining slide show demystifying the North Cascades grizzly bear, and it's cousins further afield. Chris Morgan has worked internationally as a biologist and educator for the last twenty years and will share his expert knowledge on bear ecology and conservation.

This will also be among the first opportunities to see footage from the feature-length documentary film 'BEARTREK' - a quest that that follows his global motorcycle adventure to the wildest places on the planet in search of unusual bear species and exotic cultures. In 2006, The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project received a grant from REI for their ongoing education efforts.

Chris Morgan, GBOP Director

Brown bears make a comeback in the mountains of Spain

2008-03-06T10:57:00.001-08:00

The endangered brown bear, which once roamed the forests of Europe, is showing signs of recovery in one of its remaining strongholds, the Cantabrian mountains of Spain.

Small colonies of brown bears are increasing in the craggy northern cordillera of Asturias and Cantabria. After being menaced by illegal hunters and the encroaching infrastructure of tourism, numbers of fertile females have doubled in the past decade and traces of bear activity have tripled in the last two years.

A colony of 100 bears is thought to inhabit the west of the region, with another smaller colony of about 30 to the east. The reclusive animals are still on the endangered list and their long-term survival remains under threat because the number of animals remains small despite reproduction becoming consolidated in recent years.

"We would like to establish a corridor between the separate colonies to increase the bears' genetic diversity and reproductive velocity, and thereby their chances of survival," said Guillermo Palomero, head of the Santander-based Brown Bear Foundation (Fundacion Oso Pardo). "That is the only sure way of protecting them from becoming extinct."

A joint study by the foundation and Spain's environment ministry based on 16 years of observation of the bears in their natural habitat strongly recommends trying to establish a connection between the colonies, which are 30 miles apart, to safeguard the local population. While brown bear numbers have been boosted in the Pyrenees by importing animals from Slovenia, this is not an option "because Cantabria's brown bears are a pure species unique in Europe," Mr Palomero said.

The revival is partly due to more effective control of illegal hunters, or furtivos, who now face two years in jail and a fine of up to €300,000 (£230,000) for the "ecological crime" of killing a bear.

"Furtivos still exist. There may be fewer huntsmen with guns, but more traps and poison are laid for wolves and wild boars. They still do a lot of damage," said Mr Palomero. "Collaboration between the authorities and voluntary organisations has been crucial in consolidating bear populations during 2007. We mustn't drop our guard or cry victory too soon.

"The turning point was when we realised the importance of groups of females with their young cubs. While the males roam across country, the mother and her cubs stay within a defined area. We must protect them in their habitat, because they are the guarantee of the future."

Ursine history was made in the winter of 2006 when the foundation revealed that Cantabria's brown bears had stopped hibernating. The region's winters had become warmer in recent years, enabling the bears to forage for enough food all year round.

Bears are well known for their propensity to slumber through the winter to the point of biological shutdown. But their behaviour went through a revolutionary change when female brown bears with young cubs found enough nuts, acorns, chestnuts and berries on Spain's bleak northern mountainsides to make the effort of staying awake and hunting for food "energetically worthwhile".

By Elizabeth Nash in Madrid
Thursday, 28 February 2008

Wildlife and the Economy

2008-03-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

In these sluggish economic times, we might ask “When budgets are so tight, what is the value of supporting the cost of wildlife projects?”

Actually, wildlife viewing, fishing and hunting are big business. According to a Winter 2008 report from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife:

• Washington draws 2,331,000 wildlife watchers annually – both resident and non-resident.
• Annual spending in Washington by wildlife watchers totals $1,502,311,000 (that's billions folks).
• Washington ranks 7th in the nation in spending behind California, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Georgia and New York.
• Spending increased 53 percent from 2001 to 2006.

These monies are spent on travel, food, lodging, equipment and other goods and services. The bounty is spread across the state, especially in small towns and rural areas, lending an economic boon to many areas that need it.

Beyond the aesthetic and spiritual values we feel towards nature and wildlife, those critters also contributes greatly to our economy!

Julie L. (Hayes) Hopkins
Marine and Wildlife Biologist
Threatened and Endangered Species Specialist

Cetos Research Organization. 'Working to enhance and augment conservation and management of living marine resources through research.'
www.cetosresearch.org

Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. 'Promoting an accurate understanding of grizzly bears and their recovery in the North Cascades Ecosystem through community education and involvement.'

Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival

2008-01-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

On January 26 and 27 Nan Laney, Skagit and Northern Snohomish GBOP Coordinator, will staff a GBOP booth at the Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival in Concrete (Skagit County). This is the fourth year that GBOP has been in attendance at this wonderful and popular event. Additionally, on Sunday January 27th from 12:30-1:30, Nan will be presenting information about the North Cascades’ grizzly and black bears at the festival.

The Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival, in it’s 21st year, often draws crowds that exceed 4,000 attendees. This free 2-day event is one of the culminations of the eagle watching season in the Upper Skagit, and is an excellent opportunity to learn more about North Cascades raptors, salmon and other wildlife, geology, archeology and Native American culture. Each year, the entertainment on Saturday night features Native American storytelling, drumming and dancing. The emphasis on the Native American culture and it’s ties to wildlife and the North Cascades is always a highlight of the festival. Additionally, a big draw for attendees are the live raptors brought in by Sardis Raptor Center, with presentations including the live birds interspersed throughout the weekend.

For more information about the festival, including information on presentations and events, check out the festival’s website.

Teacher clock hours are available for attending the event.

Skagit River Interpretive Center

At 11:00 AM on Sunday February 17th, Nan will also be doing a presentation at the new Skagit River Interpretive Center in Rockport. Thanks to the hard work of many nonprofits and individuals in Skagit County, the Interpretive Center, formerly located in the old Rockport Fire Hall (which itself was renovated from an old school house), moved to it’s new home next to Howard Miller Steelhead Park. In association with the peak eagle viewing season, the Interpretive Center hosts presentations on Saturday and Sunday during the months of December, January and February each year.

Visit the Skagit River Interpretive Center website for more information, including speaker schedule.

Festival poster was created by Don Smith, Cascadian Farm senior designer, with help from Concrete High School students.

Thirty years of Biodiversity?

2008-01-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

On December 4th, the Washington Biodiversity Council presented a thirty year plan to promote biodiversity within Washington State. Washington’s plan recognized six eco-regions which would be managed separately.

Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems. The term "natural heritage" pre-dates "biodiversity", though it is a less scientific term and more easily comprehended in some ways by the wider audience interested in conservation. The most straightforward definition is "variation of life at all levels of biological organization". Another definition that is often used by ecologists is the "totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a region.

Ecosystems benefit greatly when the level of biodiversity is high. There is a greater resistance to catastrophe. A wide range of crop varieties are available for human consumption. A variety of plant and animal species contribute to the search for new medicines and industrial materials. Intellectual value, leisure, cultural and aesthetic value increases. An ecosystem is able to react to changes in the local environment as the effects of global warming become apparent.

The WASHINGTON BIODIVERSITY PROJECT is an effort of the Washington Biodiversity Council to address one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time: How to conserve our state's native plants, animals, and ecosystems for current and future generations. After three years of work, the Washington Biodiversity Council has delivered the Washington Biodiversity Conservation Strategy: "Sustaining Our Natural Heritage For Future Generations". The strategy is designed to conserve Washington’s unique plant and animal communities. It was released in front of a large crowd attending the Biodiversity Conservation Conference in Seattle: "What Works, What’s Next".

The council, a diverse group representing landowners, environmentalists, government agencies, tribes, and others, has developed the strategy to lay out a path forward to enhance biodiversity in Washington. It also supports other priorities, such as the Puget Sound Partnership and efforts to address climate change. Three broad initiatives form the heart of the strategy—a new approach to defining priorities, fostering widespread landowner engagement, and measuring progress:
• Guiding investments on the land, through the use of a new tool which maps biodiversity value and threats at a landscape, regional scale; 
• Improving incentives and advancing markets for landowners to provide tangible benefits for conservation on working lands and open spaces;
• Engaging citizens to work with scientists to inventory and monitor Washington’s biodiversity.

The Council sponsored two conservation pilot projects. The two projects, one on the east side of the state and one on the west side each received $20,000 from the Council, and ran for 18 months, January 2006 through June 2007. The general goals of the pilots were to demonstrate new models for promoting incentive-based biodiversity conservation tools, and to engage citizens in biodiversity conservation. The two projects have taken different approaches to these goals. The findings from the projects formed key components of the Washington Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. The pilot projects may also serve as models for other communities.

Citizen Stewardship of the Pierce County Biodiversity Network: Lower White River
The Council’s western Washington pilot project focused on the lower White River between Buckley and Sumner. This area retains significant functional riparian habitat that supports a variety of fish and wildlife species despite rapid urbanization. The lower White River corridor is a Biodiversity Management Area (BMA) in Pierce County. Landowners in Pierce County BMAs are eligible for reduced property taxes.

The Healthy Lands Initiative
The Healthy Lands Initiative worked to develop a shared community vision for how biodiversity conservation can be integrated with the economic and social needs of the North Central Washington region, including Okanogan, Douglas, and Chelan Counties, and the Colville Indian Reservation. This area is very rich in biodiversity and ecological function, and it provides a major migration corridor between Canada and the Columbia Plateau.

Wendy goes to Mexico and what a trip

2008-01-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate to be able to attend the 18th International Association of Bear Research and Management (IBA) conference Nov 4-11 in Monterrey Mexico. The IBA is a non-profit organization open to professional biologists, wildlife managers and others dedicated to the conservation of all bear species. (www.bearbiology.com).

There were 268 people from 26 different countries at the conference making for a truly international experience. In all, 54 oral presentations were given along with 87 poster presentations. These ranged from bear research and conservation, bear nutrition, population estimates to human –bear interactions and conflicts. I attended all 54 talks, participated in a bear management workshop, attended two genetic workshops and the bear specialist group meeting. I also presented a poster on Bear Affair, a collaborative event with the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project and the Woodland Park Zoo.

All of the presentations were interesting but one that really impressed me was presented by Jon Swenson titled: “Pragmatic Management Can Conserve Low Productive High-Altitude Brown Bears in South Asia”. In 1993 the Deosai Plateau was declared a national park in order to try and protect the highly threatened brown bears in Pakistan whose numbers were declining. The local people rely on the natural resources in the park but legislation prohibited them from taking anything from the park which caused conflicts between the local people and park management. To help alleviate these conflicts a new approach was taken that involved the local people in park management and recognized their community rights. The number of bears in the park was monitored between 1993 and 2006 and in that time they saw an increase in the population of 5% each year (this was from reproduction and immigration). This is really impressive when you learn that the bears in Deosai have really low reproductive rates. The average age of first reproduction is 8.25 years, the reproduction interval is 5.8 years, litter size is 1.33 and the family stays together for 4.2 years (longest time recorded for brown bears). The survival rate of offspring is higher in Deosai as well (0.94 for cubs, 0.96 for yearlings). These results show that when communities and management work together they can make positive changes.

My poster was on Bear Affair, an annual event put on at the Woodland Park Zoo. The day starts off with a bear “un-safe” campsite being set up in the brown bear (Ursus arctos) exhibit. We put out a tent, sleeping bags, coolers, shoes, table and chairs, backpacks and a campfire pit. Food is placed either in or on all of these camping items. Dry food bags are hung up in a tree but are not put up high enough. All of this is done to show how not to set up a campsite in bear country. In the afternoon we give the bears bear resistant food containers (BRFC) and talk about why they are important to use when camping and /or hiking in bear country.

It was a very busy week filled with a lot of learning and sharing of
information with new and old friends. There were also the adventurous taxi and bus rides through the city, the likes I have not experienced before, but it made for many a laugh with the people I shared this experience with. What a wonderful way for a bear lover to spend a week!

“Pragmatic Management Can Conserve Low Productive High-Altitude Brown Bears In South Asia”. Muhammad Ali Nawaz (Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences); Jon Swenson (Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences); Vaqar Zakaria (Himalayan Wildlife Foundation, Islamabad, Pakistan).

Submitted by Wendy Gardner

Yellowstone’s grizzly bear population declines in 2007

2007-12-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

This year’s population decline of females with cubs triggers concern among federal biologists. Despite de-listing of the grizzly bears less than a year ago, recovery of the grizzly bear population in Yellowstone National Park is still being watched carefully. For 2007, officials have totaled up to 25 deaths of females over the age of 2 from hunting accidents, management removals and natural causes. For every bear reported, a possible two more went unreported, according to Chuck Schwartz, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team leader. Overall, the population of 571 bears in Yellowstone is thriving, but a seemingly small loss of young female bears can have a large impact on the population. A loss of 9% of the female population over two years would trigger a review and potential listing of the bears back under the protection of the Endangered Species Act.

Several environmental factors also contributed to the higher mortality this year. Three out of four of the bear’s critical foods were in short supply. Late frosts damaged the berry crops, Deaths of whitebark pine trees due to mountain pine beetles and blister rust meant a lack of pine seeds. There is actually a positive relationship between whitebark pine seed production and grizzly bear birth rates. Cutthroat trout struggle to hold their own against introduced lake trout. Cutthroat populations have declined in some streams from 60,000 in the 1970’s to only 500 this year. Additionally, the mild winter last year meant fewer elk winter-kill carcasses. Only the army cut-worm moth resource seems to be intact this year.

Most bears will look for alternative foods in years like this one. Researchers have been testing the body fat content of the bears since 2000. They are finding bears entering dens at a 30% body fat, which indicates healthy animals, and a healthy environment. Still the lack of natural food sources is cause for worry. One year of high female mortality is not a crisis, but officials will be monitoring the population numbers in the coming year. “Our major concern through all of this is that we don’t allow the bear population to decline because of humans” says Schwartz.

Excerpted from an article by Cole Hatch, Jackson Hole News and Guide, October 31, 2007,
Submitted by Julie Hopkins

What's happening behind your back?

2007-12-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that when you are out walking in the woods you seldom see a lot of wildlife?

A friend who has a cabin in the Teanaway River drainage (near Cle Elum, Washington) wondered about this. So he mounted remote video cameras and captured these images.

Amazing the variety of wildlife he has on his property. Of course he never sees them when he is out and about. What's happening in your backyard when you are not around?

Is this a famously elusive North Cascades grizzly bear?

2007-12-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

Photo: This could well be the most recent grizzly bear sighting in the North Cascades. Proving it is another matter. Photo by Pat Lathrop.

Look at the picture above very carefully. You're looking at a family of bears crossing a glacier in the North Cascades mountains in the summer of 2006. But are they black bears or grizzly bears? That's the million dollar question. The picture was submitted to me by Pat Lathrop who, while hiking the Glacier Peak Wilderness came across this amazing site with a friend. As he raised the binoculars to his eyes he knew the significance of what he was witnessing. Without saying a word, he quietly handed his binoculars to his hiking companion and asked, "What do you think they are?". His friend replied, "Wow - it's a family of grizzly bears!". This is how Pat relayed the story to me as we spoke on the phone. He explained that he had been to one of my slide shows several years earlier at REI and that he therefore understood how important a sighting like this was. Pat has seen many bears - both grizzly and black, in other parts of North America, and he was personally "one hundred percent sure" that what he saw that day was a family of grizzly bears crossing the glacier from one valley to the next. When he handed the binoculars to his friend he didn't want to influence his response, so he kept quiet. His friend's reaction only further convinced Pat that this was a very special moment.

The problem is follow-up. How do we prove that these were in fact grizzly bears? Of course the dots on the photograph can't be used for verification, but what about trying to track them in the field? Looking for tracks is one option, but they are extremely tough to find. We can use remotely-triggered cameras, or even hair snags that capture a clump of DNA from the cpat of a passing bear. Even a pile of scat can yield DNA which would tell us if it was left behind by a black or grizzly bear. But when you consider that a female bear and yearlings might cover 200-300 square miles as part of their regular home range, the problems of sighting verification become obvious.

When there are fewer than 20 grizzly bears left in the 10,000 square mile North Cascades ecosystem it is critical that any possible sighting is reported. We receive about 20 reports per year thanks to the very active GBOP field crew who are out there interacting with the public all year round, and thanks also to an online reporting system we've developed. However, my guess is that, on average, about 17 of these 20 sound like black bears that people have confused with grizzly bears (an easy thing to do when you consider that black and grizzly bears can have coats that are anything from blonde to black).

Please spread the word - if you see a North Cascades grizzly bear, let us know! (GBOP sighting report). For MUCH more information about bears in the cascades, go to our website: www.bearinfo.org

Chris Morgan, Bear ecologist, GBOP Director

Op Ed - Grizzly Recovery In The North Cascades

2007-11-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

In the August 2007 issue of Washington Trails, Jonathan Guzzo penned a thoughtful article on preservation and recovery of the grizzly bear and its habitat in the North Cascades. Mr. Guzzo presented questions on the topic and suggested that we get the “conversation started so we can make the best decision for future hikers and this magnificent species.” These are some of my thoughts on the subject.

As to the question of whether or not hikers will be safe in the back country in the presence of a grizzly bear population, I have no doubt that we will continue to be safe. Of course, both the question and answer are a bit loaded in the sense that we are never completely safe when we hike; a myriad of difficulties—from merely problematic to fatal—can arise on a trek, so it is not just the presence of a large animal that raises the issue of safety. In my view, our safety is largely dependant upon our knowledge. The more knowledge is inherent in a thing the greater the understanding and the greater the understanding the greater the safety (with apologies to Paracelsus). Conversely, the less we understand something, the more we tend to fear it, and fear of the grizzly has led to an enormous misunderstanding of the great bear. That misunderstanding and fear began with Lewis & Clark, who did no favor for the grizzly, as their descriptions and accounts of the bear resulted in the scientific name Ursus arctos horribilis (the horrible bear) which was bestowed upon the grizzly by George Ord in 1815. Unfortunately, the Lewis & Clark scientific descriptions of the grizzly were overshadowed by their stories of a “grizzle” bear who, when wounded by gunfire, became angry and assaulted its attacker. From that day to this, the fear-mongering stories about grizzlies have continued unabated. But the horrible bear of George Ord is not the animal described in the insightful books of William H. Wright, Frank Craighead and Doug Peacock. Nor is it the animal I know.

There are a multitude of things we should know and preparations we should make before venturing into the backcountry. For example, the ten essentials are—well—essential. So is the need to know the terrain, weather conditions and wildlife we might encounter. And the grizzly is certainly not the only animal we should be aware of. One recent October I was confronted by a bull elk who, inexplicably, thought I had more than just an observer’s interest in a member of his harem. It wasn’t true, of course, but I knew enough about a bull elk in rut to be prepared for his behavior. The point is this: knowing how to use the medical kit in your backpack is every bit as important as knowing how to conduct yourself in grizzly country. While the chance of even seeing a grizzly in the wild is remote, there is no substitute for informed human behavior if you do. Proper grizzly etiquette can be learned from a number of different sources, including the books alluded to above, but two excellent resources are Lance Olsen’s Field Guide To The Grizzly Bear (1992, Sasquatch Books), and the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (www.bearinfo.org).

Another of Mr. Guzzo’s questions deals with possible loss of trail miles—that is, trail closures “due to bear activity or den emergence.” He suggests that this is likely, and I think he is right about that. I see no reason why the government would deal with grizzlies any different in the North Cascades than it does in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Mostly for liability reasons, I believe, the government tends to err on the side of caution by closing trails quickly upon learning of bear activity. I don’t always agree with it, but I think this is policy. More important, I can accept this as a sort of cost of doing business in and for the wilderness. I can even accept the idea of permanently closed areas, such as those in Denali National Park, in furtherance of grizzly survival and habitat. For me, the presence of the grizzly legitimizes our definition of wilderness, and to know that our wilderness areas are truly wild and being protected by sensible regulation is more important than my presence there.

It has been said that the grizzly bear is the very symbol of American wilderness and I wonder, if the grizzly is removed, do we still have wilderness? I suppose the answer for many people is yes but, even accepting that, it seems to me that our wilderness is diminished with each species removed. And where does removal end? Is the elk next? How about moose? Both elk and moose have killed humans. And rattle snakes—good gracious, let’s get rid of those snakes! Arguably, the removal of creatures that are deemed undesirable for one reason or another is a slippery slope. To me, the grizzly is much more than a symbol. Knowing, when I am in grizzly country, that I am no longer at the top of the food chain is a humbling and wonderful personal experience. But, knowing that the grizzly is out there, especially when I am not, is far more important.

By Mick Tronquet

Editors note: Mick has a great interest in educating the public about grizzly bears in the North Cascades. He will be supporting GBOP through volunteer efforts in the Seattle area where he practices law. Through more of an op-ed piece, the questions raised here are thought provoking and part of the dialog which we as a community must engage in order to address the issue of grizzly recovery. Currently less than 20 grizzly bears live in the North Cascades. A declining number that many biologists deem to low to sustain a viable population over time. What are we as a society to do about this situation? Its a personnal choice that should be based on educated fact, not emotional fiction. We welcome well thought out opinions on this subject. Please submit any entries you would like considered for publishing on the GBOP BLOG to Dennis Ryan.

Tis the season...to Hibernate

2007-11-28T12:31:00.000-08:00

Laying down for a long winter’s sleep…sounds like a great way to deal with the holiday hustle and bustle. Actually hibernation is a method to deal with the lack of available food in the winter. Bears eat a diet of primarily plants, berries and insects, eating enough to gain 30 lbs. per week. In winter there is not enough food to be found to keep a bear going.

Bears look for a place of safety while they are in this sleeping state from October to April. In fall they will scrape leaves and plant material into a cave, burrow, hollowed out tree or rock crevice as a nest. Sometimes they just make a nest on the surface of the ground. Bears curl into a ball to endure the cold of winter. Dens offer little or no insulating value, and are usually the same temperature as outside the den. The bears heavy winter coat and fat layer do all the insulating. The heavy, rounded shape of a bear provides a low surface area-to-mass ratio that is the key to retaining heat.

Using reserves of fat accumulated over the spring and summer, bears can go over 100 days without eating, drinking, urinating or defecating. Fat breaks down into water and 4000 calories per day. Muscle and organs break down to provide protein, yet they don’t loose any muscle mass. They are later able to rebuild those organs, unlike a starving human. Calcium is efficiently recycled so they experience no bone loss, as inactive people do. Their heart beat goes from 55 to 8 beats per minute. Body temperature drops by 12 degrees. Metabolism drops by half. They sleep deeply, but can wake occasionally although it takes some time; minutes to hours. Smaller hibernators, such as squirrels, bats and marmots wake much more frequently during hibernation than bears.

Grizzly bears have long claws and are known for their skill in digging. They prefer to dig their den into the north slope at high elevation so they get covered by the maximum amount of insulating snow. Black bears have much smaller claws and are not known for their digging skills. They prefer to find a suitable site that only requires remodeling.

Scientists are studying hibernation to aid in several human conditions. We’d like to understand their ability to maintain perfect water balance without drinking for 100 days, or how bears deal with toxic urea building up in the blood stream. There are many implications for patients suffering from kidney disease. Also, bears have double the cholesterol of humans but no hardening of their arteries. There also remains the possibility of inducing human hibernation for transporting wounded soldiers from battlefields, treating the severely burned or preserving organs by inducing hibernation in the organ itself. Obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney and gall bladder problems, muscle-wasting conditions are among the conditions bears could help us to understand. NASA is interested in the implications for long distance space travel.

Mmm, think I might go take a nap…
Submitted by Julie Hayes

GBOP position announcement

2007-11-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

GBOP is seeking a Field Coordinator for wildlife education and community outreach.

We are currently seeking candidates for the role of field coordinator in the Highway 2 area. The position will be based in or near to Leavenworth, covering an area from approximately Sultan to Wenatchee.

It is a part time position (2 days per week) coordinating outreach activities of the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project and it's associated Bear Smart Program. Minimum education includes a bachelor’s degree and experience planning and implementing community programs. Pays $19-21/hour incl. depending on experience. Must have dependable transportation (0.45c/mile reimbursed) and must reside in project area. Email resume, letter and references to Chris Morgan.

REI hosts community expo at the new Issaquah store

2007-11-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

GBOP and about a dozen community-based organizations were on hand this weekend to help REI welcome customers to the grand opening of the new Issaquah REI store. Over 500 hundred people were lined up and waiting for the doors to open at 9:00 am.

Issaquah is located on the I-90 corridor at the Washington cascade mountain foothills. It’s a fast growing community and many residents enjoy the opportunity to hike trails literally out their back door. Due to the close proximity to wildlife, REI is very supportive in efforts to educate residents about the local ecosystem. Other organizations attending the community expo included the Mountaineers, Washington Outdoor Women, Washington Trails Association and the Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery.

Many folks visiting the GBOP table had experienced bears at their homes and observed bears while hiking on the local trails. Everyone wanted information so they could be bear safe and bear smart.

6 of 8 bear species threatened with extinction

2007-11-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

Six of the world's eight species of bear are threatened with extinction, according to a report from the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

The smallest species of bear, the sun bear, has been included on the list for the first time, while the giant panda remains endangered, despite comprehensive conservation efforts in China.

The IUCN, which has updated the status of the seven species of terrestrial bear on its Red List of Threatened Species, said despite claims that panda populations were on the rise due to a ban on logging, the creation of panda reserves and reforestation programmes, it still considered the bear to be endangered.

"Quite a bit is now known about the ecology of giant pandas, and substantial work and expense has been aimed at trying to estimate total numbers of these animals. However, these estimates are imprecise and prone to significant error," said David Garshelis, the co-chairman of the IUCN bear specialist group.

"Too much uncertainty exists to justify changing their status to vulnerable. It would be unwise to assume that in less than 10 years under the new habitat improvement policies in China that panda populations could have dramatically increased," he added.

The sun bear, which lives in south-east Asia, Sumatra and Borneo, has been included on the list for the first time, and is classed as vulnerable. It was previously listed as "data deficient" because not enough was known about the species.

The IUCN bear specialist group, which announced its findings after a meeting in Mexico over the weekend, estimates that sun bears have declined by at least 30% over the past 30 years and would "continue to decline at this rate".

"Although we still have a lot to learn about the biology and ecology of this species, we are quite certain that it is in trouble," said Rob Steinmetz, the co-chairman of the IUCN bear specialist group's sun bear expert team.

"Deforestation has reduced both the area and quality of their habitat. Where habitat is now protected, commercial poaching remains a significant threat."

Steinmetz said the IUCN was working with government, protected area managers, conservation groups and local people "to prevent extinctions of the many small, isolated sun bear populations that remain in many parts of south-east Asia."

Bears in Asia and South America are the most in need of urgent conservation action, the IUCN said, with Asiatic black bears, Andean bears (formerly called spectacled bears), and sloth bears all listed as vulnerable.

Sloth bears live on the Indian subcontinent in Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, where habitat loss has been severe. They have found sanctuary mainly in the reserves set up to protect tigers. The bear specialist group has indicated this species may have disappeared entirely from Bangladesh.

Threatened existence

The main threat to bears across south-east Asia comes from poaching. Although illegal, poachers are prepared the risk the small chance of being caught against the lucrative gains they can make from sales on the black market.

Prized bear body parts include the gall bladder, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine, and their paw, which is considered to be a delicacy.

Another threat to bear populations comes from living in close proximity to human settlements. Bears are often killed when they prey on livestock or raid crops, or killed when the roam too close to a village because they are seen as a threat to human safety.

"Although the bear population estimates for Asia are not as reliable as we would like, we estimate that bears in south-east Asia are declining at a particularly rapid rate due to extensive loss of forest habitat combined with rampant poaching," said Garshelis.

The polar bear, which has recently become a symbol for climate change and its effect on animals, is listed as vulnerable, but as it is technically a marine mammal it is distinct from the other seven terrestrial bears and has a different specialist group.

Only two bears - the brown bear and the American black bear - were listed as being of "least concern".

Brown bears, the most widespread species, are not listed as being threatened globally because large numbers still live in Russia, Canada, Alaska and some parts of Europe. However, the IUCN said very small, isolated and "highly vulnerable" populations exist in southern Europe and central and southern Asia.

Several brown bear populations are protected under national or provincial laws, while grizzly bears are considered threatened under the US Endangered Species Act everywhere except Alaska.

Only the American black bear is secure throughout its population range, which includes Canada, the US and Mexico. With a population of 900,000, the IUCN said there were more than twice as many black bears than all other species combined. They are legally hunted in most parts of their range.

Bruce McLellan, another co-chairman of the bear specialist group, said: "An enormous amount of effort and funding for conservation and management continues to be directed at bears in North America where their status is relatively favorable.

"It is unfortunate that so little is directed at bears in Asia and South America where the need is extreme. We are trying to change this situation, but success is slow."

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
photo credit Hermann J Knippertz, AP file

Supplemental Bear Feeding Program

2007-11-06T06:28:00.000-08:00

Each spring black bears emerge from their dens hungry and with little available sources of food. During this time, as young conifers approach their annual spring bud burst, there is a high concentration of sapwood moving up the tree just inside the bark. This sapwood is rich in carbohydrates and can be a very attractive food source for hungry bears. The bears rip off the bark to eat the sapwood and in the process they often girdle and kill the trees. Bears can girdle up to 50-70 trees a day, and this loss can create a significant economic impact for forest landowners. By late June or early July there are plenty of natural foods for bears to eat, and generally damage to the young timber ends about this time.

Last month I attended a presentation by Georg Ziegltrum of the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) at the Department of Natural Resources monthly breakfast meeting. Georg’s presentation was primarily about WFPA’s Black Bear Supplemental Bear Feeding Program, although he also talked about other components of the WFPA’s Animal Damage Control Program, including lethal control efforts.

In 1985 WFPA began the Black Bear Supplemental Feeding Program. In 2006, the Program used a total of 465,700 pounds of bear pellets at 860 feeding stations in Western Washington in an effort to reduce spring black bear damage to young private timberlands. The Black Bear Supplemental Feeding Program feeds black bears at special feeding stations for about 2 ½ months each year to provide a food source during the spring when food sources are limited. Young even-aged stands between 15 and 30 years of age are the most vulnerable to bear damage, and the supplemental feeding program has helped to reduce this damage.

However the Black Bear Supplemental Feeding Program does not prevent all damage to young timber stands. This program is used along with lethal control, in areas with heavy damage, to limit impacts to private forestlands. In 2006, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), in cooperation with WFPA’s Animal Damage Control Program, issued about 190 depredation permits for black bears in areas where there was heavy timber damage on private forestland. Most of the bears are removed by hound hunters, although foot snares and bait are also occasionally used with depredation permits.

Website links of interest:

Washington Forest Protection Association’s (WFPA) Animal Damage Control Program 2006 Annual Report

A 2-page summary of the Black Bear Supplemental Feeding Program

Efficacy of the Black Bear Supplemental Feeding Program in Western WA

Nan Laney
Skagit and Whatcom Coordinator, GBOP

Meet Cerah, Sun Bear of Borneo

2007-11-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from a trip to Malaysian Borneo where we were filming a story for the feature length documentary BEARTREK. The film is about my global adventure to some of the world's wildest places by motorcycle. At each of 6 locations we tell stories about the unusual bear species, and the people who are working for their conservation (more info at: www.BEARTREK.org).

The island of Borneo is a truly incredible place and our time there was magical - one of life's experiences for sure. As with the North Cascades grizzly bear, sun bears in Borneo represent wilderness. Sun bears need diverse, healthy, tropical rainforest to survive. We think. Actually, very little is known about this super elusive bear species - there are only 2 or 3 sun bear specialists in the world - each of them working in very difficult field conditions with small, highly secretive animals. Among the species that share this tropical ecosystem with sun bears are orangutans, elephants, rhinos, proboscis monkeys, gibbons, and a plethora of birds and insect life. It was a sensory overload, and I have never been anywhere where the presence of bears so clearly represented healthy biodiversity (the reserve where we filmed a sun bear cub is close to being the most biodiverse place in Asia!).

As with almost all of the bear species, grizzly bears and sun bears qualify in three ways to represent the important characteristics of an ecosystem. They are indicator, keystone and umbrella species. Very few animals qualify under all three. Indicator species denote intact, healthy ecosystems; umbrella species need large, wild areas of habitat that incidentally shelter many other species of plants and animals; keystone species play an important functional role in maintaining ecological health. Bears therefore make ideal targets for conservation as they represent the needs of large, wild places that we all depend upon.

Highlights of the trip included tracking and locating 87 wild elephants, observing wild orangutans for hours in the trees above, the warm friendships we developed with local villagers, and of course preparing 'Cerah', a ten month old orphaned sun bear cub for a life in the wild. Our time with her in the rainforest was fascinating, hilarious, and fun.

The photo features BEARTREK conservationist and GBOP Director Chris Morgan with 'Cerah' (pronounced "ChurA", meaning "bright" in Malay) during BEARTREK filming in Borneo. Cerah is a 10 month old orphaned sun bear cub that is being prepared for life in the wild thanks to the work of one of BEARTREK's featured bear biologists, Siew Te Wong.

Chris Morgan
GBOP Director

Hunter Orange Bear Scat! What's going down?

2007-10-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly, this bear scat is bright 'hunter orange'. The question is "How did it get to be that color?". Deer season has just ended and there were a lot of hunters cruising the woods. Is there a hunter missing in action?

Closer inspection indicates that this scat is loaded with rose hips. Apparently this bear wanted a full dose of vitamin C before going into the winter den. It has already snowed in the mountains of eastern Washington and has been in the lower 20's at night. We can expect the bears to be settling into their dens any day now.

With luck this bear has put on a lot of weight and will enjoy the winter nap. Bears in other parts of the west have not been so lucky this year. Late freezes, drought and tree infestations in the Rocky Mountain West have diminished the sources of natural food from bugs to berries that the bears eat. Recently they have been hunting for food in all the wrong places, from backcountry campgrounds to suburban kitchens.

In Colorado, bears have burst through the front doors of homes, sauntered into stores and broken into cars. Officials say the number of bears killed by state wildlife officers this year has topped a new record.

Wildlife officers in northwest Wyoming, where luxury housing is crowding into prime bear habitat, are fielding 100 calls a week about bears feasting in fruit trees and snoozing on front lawns. Game wardens have killed twice as many bears this season as they kill in an average year.

In Montana, hungry bears have plowed through dumpsters and grabbed garbage from garages, a pattern Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Captain Sam Sheppard says is unusual for its scope, duration and intensity.

In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where a bear recently lumbered through the open door of a daycare center, officials have plastered neighborhoods with signs urging residents to harvest fruit, remove birdfeeders and "bear-proof" their garbage.

Wildlife officers across Western states have renewed campaigns to stem bear conflicts by retraining humans. Its very important that food and garbage not be left outside in such a way that will attract bears. Keep in mind that next spring, when the bears wake up and sally forth, they will have lost 30% to 40% of their body weight and will be looking for food once again. If you live in bear country please bear proof your home.

We bears thank you.

extracts from a story by Laura Zuckerman, REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
photo credit Dennis Ryan

Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Estimate

2007-10-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) -- A study of grizzly bears in and around Glacier National Park estimates 240 of the bears live in a 2 million acre area. This is a 3,125 square mile area.

"It's the first really rigorous population estimate for that area," said Kate Kendall, a West Glacier-based research biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, who led the study.

The Greater Glacier area includes the 1.1 million-acre national park plus 900,000 acres of surrounding grizzly habitat, including the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and lands west of Glacier to U.S. Highway 93. This arear is also known as the 'Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem'.

Researchers estimated the population by collecting bear hairs in 1998 and 2000 and analyzing the DNA in each strand. The estimate is important because grizzly recovery efforts can't be measured without reliable population figures, Kendall said.

In 1998 and 2000, researchers collected almost 15,000 bear hairs left behind at barbed wire "hair corrals" and natural bear rub trees evenly distributed across the 2 million acres. Individual bears can be identified from their hair because they contain DNA. The hair samples identified 185 unique bears in 1998 and 222 bears in 2000. Researchers used a statistical formula to arrive at the estimate of 240 bears.

Bitteroot Bear Followup

2007-10-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

The origin of the grizzly bear recently shot by a hunter in the Bitterroot ecosystem of Idaho has been identified by DNA analysis. His trek began in the Selkirk ecosystem and ended over 140 miles later. This amazing feat points out the need to provide habitat corridors between ecosystems. The following associated press article provides the details.

KALISPELL, Mont. -- A grizzly bear accidentally shot and killed by a hunter in north-central Idaho last month likely migrated south from the Selkirk Mountains, crossing two highways and traveling farther than any other bear is known to have moved, federal officials said.

The trip was at least 140 miles as the crow flies, but likely much longer on the ground. "It's absolutely remarkable," said Chris Servheen, grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "I was so shocked that I immediately called the geneticist and said there must be some mistake. But there's no mistake. This bear moved more than twice as far as any other we've seen."

The grizzly bear was shot on Sept. 3 near Kelly Creek, three miles west of the Montana border, west of Superior. A Tennessee hunter mistook it for a black bear. The last time a grizzly bear had been seen in that area was 1946. Servheen had long predicted bears might roam back into that region, a place he calls "excellent grizzly bear habitat." Still, the shooting was a surprise.

Servheen figured the bear had roamed out of the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem - an area running from Glacier National park through the Bob Marshall Wilderness - or maybe down from the Cabinet Mountains near Libby. DNA analysis on the bear's tissue determined it was similar to bears in the Selkirk Mountains in northern Idaho. Wildlife managers speculate the bear could have migrated from the Priest Lake region north of Sandpoint, Idaho. That means the bear crossed U.S. Highway 200 and Interstate 90, and traveled at least 140 air miles, who knows how many ground miles. Scientists call bears that really roam "great movers," and they usually travel 60 or 70 miles, Servheen said.

The bear's journey points to the importance of protecting corridors between areas of grizzly bear habitat, Servheen said.
Servheen said the bear did not have a GPS collar, so he doesn't know the precise route the bear took from the Selkirks, why it left its relatively unpopulated home range and why it kept moving through so much perfectly habitable habitat in between. "It would have been so amazing to see where he went and how he got there," Servheen said, "how he crossed I-90."

The location of the 400-pound bear bolsters Servheen's argument that researchers should begin actively looking for more grizzly bears in the Bitterroot Mountains on the Montana-Idaho border. He expects that search will begin next summer, with the use of barbed wire traps to snag hairs from unsuspecting grizzlies.

Wenatchee River Salmon Festival

2007-09-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Thousands of people of all ages and cultures come to the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival each year to celebrate the return of the salmon to our northwest rivers. The rivers that are home to the salmon also provide sustenance for birds, frogs, salamanders, foxes, deer, bugs, bears and countless trees, bushes, and flowers. Salmon Fest is an outdoor educational adventure you will not want to miss. Their mission is to "Provide high quality natural resource education, promote outdoor recreation, and share the cultural significance of salmon to the people of the Northwest."

Since 1991 the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival has been hosted by the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery and the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest, with the help of other "spawnsors" and boosters. This year GBOP was on hand to talk about the relationship between bears and salmon. Julie Hayes spear headed the booth with help from Wendy Gardner and Dennis Ryan.

Clowning around was allowed.

Next year we hope to expand the educational activities for the school children who attend on Thursday and Friday. The Festival website will fill you in on all the details. Plan to join us in '08.

Northwest Passage Opens

2007-09-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

Since mankind began exploring the seas in great sailing ships it has been the dream and passion of many captains to find the elusive Northwest Passage. And until this year, a dream it was, for the Northwest Passage has always been ice-bound.

The yellow line shows that the most direct route through the Northwest Passage has opened up fully for the first time since records began, the European Space Agency (ESA) says. An ice-free "Northwest Passage," a shipping route north of the Canadian mainland that could provide a shortcut for transit between the Atlantic and Pacific.

Using satellite data and imagery provided by the ESA, the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) now estimates the Arctic ice pack to cover 4.24 million square kilometers (1.63 million square miles) -- equal to just less than half the size of the United States.
That figure is about 20 percent less than the previous all-time low of 5.32 million square kilometers (2.05 million square miles) set in September 2005.

Mark Serreze, senior research scientist at NSIDC, termed the decline astounding. "It's almost an exclamation point on the pronounced ice loss we've seen in the past 30 years," he said. Most researchers had anticipated the complete disappearance of the Arctic ice pack during summer months would happen after the year 2070, he said, but now, "losing summer sea ice cover by 2030 is not unreasonable."

While the loss of sea ice, like the Arctic ice pack, would not contribute to sea level rise, wildlife experts say it could alter the Arctic ecology, threatening polar bears and other mammals and sea life.
Scientists add that an ice-free Arctic could also accelerate global warming, as white-colored ice tends to deflect heat, while darker-colored water would absorb more heat.

But along with concerns, the melting Arctic also raises possible opportunities on business and political fronts. This summer, both Russia and the United States made efforts to inventory the potential mineral wealth on the ocean floor beneath the declining ice pack. Russia also sent a submarine to the North Pole to stake a symbolic claim to the Arctic as a part of the Russian nation.

Photo credit: European Space Agency

Rocky Spencer; in memorial

2007-09-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Rocky Spencer loved animals and in his capacity as the large carnivore specialist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife he had an opportunity to contribute to the conservation of these magnificent animals. His career came to an end September 8th in a tragic helicopter accident during an effort to relocate bighorn sheep from private property to a Pullman research facility for Washington State University.

Rocky's funeral was well attended by close to a thousand people. There was much said about his skill as a biologist, his dedication to wildlife and his long service to the state. He never got hardened by repeated work with wildlife and treated each animal with care and dignity. He made efforts to involve the public in his work and gave many the opportunity to see and touch wild animals that they never would have had the chance to in their lives. A young man stood up and said because of one of these trips with Rocky he was inspired to go to college and is pursuing a career as a wildlife biologist. I know many others present have felt the same inspiration to be better wildlife stewards if nothing else because of these unique experiences.

He was also a natural teacher, and spoke often with youth and adults about wildlife, especially large carnivores, cougars and bears. Through talks at schools and interviews with the media, he reached a wide audience.

Rocky initiated many programs within the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Foremost, Rocky pioneered the use of dogs in wildlife management with his Karelian bear dog Mishka. He is credited with starting their cougar research program, finding the first nesting loons in the state and , ironically, starting the helicopter program. He worked at WDFW for almost 30 years. There was a huge turnout of current and former employees to honor him.

Chris Morgan, director of GBOP, who knew Rocky well had this to say "This picture was taken while I was out doing bear capture work with him in 1998 in the Tolt River watershed east of Seattle. He's taking an anesthetized black bear back to it's capture location for release.

A warm heart, a caring smile, an easy laugh, and a love for life. There are few people around as special as Rocky. So many people were drawn in by his infectious ways. For me it was ten years ago when I arrived from distant shores to take up bear work in Washington. From moment one Rocky was never anything but kind, open, and giving, and I loved working with him and knowing him as a friend. Words can't do it justice. He will be so missed - professionally and personally - bears and cougars never had a better, more passionate, more sincere advocate. My warm wishes and condolences go to the many, many people whose lives he touched, and especially his family."

Rocky was an avid fisherman, treasure hunt diver, and marathon runner. We will all remember him as a jokester, with an endless sense of humor, a Cheshire grin and that certain twinkle in his eye.

To me he was a friend for 20 years and a mentor in my work as a biologist. We worked together on loon, cougar and elk projects, and most recently on joint bear presentations. He inspires me to continue this work with bears, to honor the fortune I have to be able to work with wildlife and to honor the value of educating people about wildlife and the environment. It was remarkable how many people were touched by his education efforts. They are far reaching, and enduring. I think we should all take what we do with more pride and value, and know that it is important and worthwhile.

You can click here to read what other people wrote about Rocky.

Julie L. (Hayes) Hopkins, GBOP Field Coordinator
Marine and Wildlife Biologist
Threatened and Endangered Species Specialist

Selway-Bitteroot Grizzly

2007-09-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Federal and state wildlife officials are investigating the killing of a grizzly bear in north-central Idaho, where the last confirmed sighting of the species was in 1946. That is over sixty years ago.

A hunter, from Tennessee, was on a guided trip hunting black bear with bait and killed the grizzly bear on Monday, September 3rd near Kelly Creek about three miles from the Montana border. Black bear hunting season opened Aug. 30.

The male grizzly weighed 400 to 500 pounds and was 6 to 8 years old. The hunter and guide skinned the carcass and brought it out on horseback so it could be confirmed as a grizzly by authorities. It is now in the possession of state fish and game department.

The bear killed was in the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem that includes part of north-central Idaho and western Montana, and where wildlife officials have been expecting grizzly bears to repopulate on their own. The Selway-Bitteroot area is one of six recovery zones for grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. Prior to this sighting, no grizzlies were thought to be in the Selway-Bitteroot recovery zone.

The bear possibly came from the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem in western Montana or the Northern Continental Divide ecosystem that includes Glacier National Park. DNA tests are planned to try and determine the bear's origin.

Fish and Game officials had been telling black bear hunters that there were no grizzly bears in the area. He said hunters are now being warned that grizzlies are in the area, and that they are not legal to hunt.

Grizzlies are sniffing champs of the wild

2007-08-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

A run-of-the-mill dog's sense of smell is roughly 100 times greater than a human's. A good hound dog's nose is perhaps 300 times better.

Dr. George Stevenson, a former neurosurgeon who specializes in bear physiology, has found that a bear's scent system is at least seven times better than the hounds. “A polar bear will walk 100 miles in a straight line to reach a female ready to breed,” he said. “That's what the bear's nose can do. They smell a million times better than we do.”

When humans think about their hometowns, they think in terms of visual maps - down this street to that avenue, turn left at the bank, right at the stoplight. But bears don't see things that way. To get to their favorite huckleberry patch, they don't follow the trail to the tree with the broken limb, and then turn left at the big mossy rock.

“No, they have an olfactory map.” Take the scent of the trail to the smell of the anthill, then follow the smell of water to the perfume of huckleberries. It is difficult, Stevenson said, for humans to imagine such a way of knowing, but for bears it's essential.

Each spring, when they emerge from the den, they are literally starving. There's no time to wander around and look for food, to look for tracks in the snow and to follow them, perhaps, to a protein meal. “They have to smell food over huge distances, and then go straight to it,” Stevenson said. “If they can't, they die.”

The black pad on the bear's snout, like a dog's nose, is wired with hundreds upon hundreds of tiny muscles. Bears can manipulate their nostrils the way dexterous people control their nimble fingers.

The smells then travel up the two 9-inch snout channels, with hundreds of times the surface area of a human's nose, to a spot where 10 million nerve strands and a billion receptor cells fire electrical signals directly into the brain. The large hippocampus in the bear’s brain “remembers” the scent, adding it to the mental map that the bear uses to “see” the world.

Stevenson was a neurosurgeon from 1965 until 1993, a pioneer of micro-neuro surgery. These days, he lives near Yellowstone National Park and is affiliated with the University of Wyoming.

Excerpts from an article of the ‘Missoulian’ by MICHAEL JAMISON

Fishing Buddies?

2007-07-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

Not often does one find a Brown (aka Grizzly) Bear and a wolf fishing across from each other on the same river. These amazing shots of a wolf fishing in the interior of Katmai National Park were taken at Brooks River Falls.

Photo credit: Paul Stinsa.

Giving Voice to Bear

2007-07-31T17:05:00.001-07:00

The role of the bear has always been prominent in American Indian initiation and healing ceremonies, in shamanic rites, in the quest for guardian spirits, and in many dances.

This photo is of a Bear Ceremony by northern Paiute people taken in 1967 at Jamestown, California.

All across North America, Indians have honored bears. When hunting tribes killed one, they spoke to its spirit asking it for forgiveness. They treated the carcass reverently. Among these tribes the ritual for a slain bear was more elaborate than that for any other animal. Bears were both feared and respected. They were famous for their fierce maternal devotion. They ate many of the same foods as the Native Americans. Because the Indian identified with the bear in many ways, they imitated it in their rituals.

Archival slide courtesy of: Adan E. Treganza Anthropology Museum, Dept of Anthropology San Francisco State University. Reference: “Giving Voice To Bear” by David Rockwell, Roberts Rinehart 1991.

Roads are NOT 'A Bears Best Friend'

2007-07-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

The building of new roads in wilderness areas are a major threat to the conservation of bear habitat. Montana Forest Service and Environmental groups have found a compromise on fire safety plans and grizzly habitat.

In a court ruling July 30, 2007, a judge upheld a motion for protecting grizzly bear habitat by restricting the building of new roads in an area proposed for timber removal to reduce fire danger on the Gallatin National Forest. At the same time the judge allowed 2500 acres of trees to be removed to reduce fire danger and enhance escape routes for residents. Fast burning pine trees will be harvested and replaced with less-flammable aspen trees along the Boulder River. Judge Donald Molloy restricted road building for harvesting timber within 1000 acres of prime grizzly bear habitat.

Forest Service Ranger Bill Avey said they were “real happy” with the ruling. Michael Garrity with Native Ecosystems Council and Alliance for the Wild Rockies said the ruling upheld the goals of prime conservation areas for grizzly bears by restricting road building. The ruling will have far reaching effects for road building in grizzly bear habitat throughout north western states.

Source: Great Falls Tribune 7/31/07

Submitted by Julie L. (Hayes) Hopkins

Brother Bear sends Thanks

2007-07-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

It’s Sienna’s Birthday. Instead of getting presents she has asked all of her friends to make a donation to the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. She is three years old and is having a Brother Bear Birthday theme.

We bears hope you have the best birthday ever Sienna.

photo (c) Matthew Felton. www.matthewfelton.com

Keepin 'em Wild

2007-07-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

40 Concrete Elementary School students submitted entries for the Upper Skagit Bear Smart Poster Contest. There were so many creative and colorful posters to choose from that it was apparent that everyone was a winner. Entries were received from the K-3 students and from Grades 4-6.

Here are some examples of posters that received awards. In the Grade 4-6 category was Madeline Corn, Spencer Hindsley and Cheyenne Gracey. K-3 entries included posters from Mindy Sutton, Haley McNealey and Emma Reidel.

The contest was organized and overseen by a community group lead by GBOP staffer Nan Laney.

Wild Bee Swarm

2007-07-23T14:57:00.001-07:00

We all know that bears like honey. Winnie the Pooh was addicted to the stuff. Bears get their honey from wild bee hives or by raiding a bee keepers’ hive. Bee keepers can protect their hives from bears by surrounding them with electric fencing.

Wild bees live in hollow trees. From time to time the queen bee decides to relocate the hive. She takes off in search of a new home and all the bees follow her. When she stops the hive swarms around the queen to protect her. The above photo was taken at a camp site in Pearrygin Lake State Park near Winthrop in the Methow Valley. Fortunately no bears were following this swarm. When bees are swarming they do not sting and can be approached without fear.

A local bee keeper was called in by the park ranger to remove the hive. He placed a box below the swarm and shook the tree causing the queen to fall onto the top of the box. All the other bees followed her into the box. The bees had a new home and the keeper got a new hive.

6th Graders, Bears and Camp

2007-06-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

What do these three things have in common? Why Camp ‘D’ of course. For over 50 years the sixth grade class at Omak middle school has spent a week at Camp Disautel in the forests of the Colville Reservation. For the first time the 6th graders at the Paschal Sherman Indian School attended the camp.

It’s not all fun and games. They spend a lot of time attending seminars to learn about stewardship of the environment. Issues explored include water conservation, soil management, wilderness safety and survival skills, creating a ‘Leave No Trace’ camp and ‘yuk’- noxious weeds. Last but not least they learn about bears of the North Cascade Ecosystem.

Bears use to be common visitors at the camp before attention was placed on removing garbage daily. There were some pretty exciting moments when bears walked thru the camp to raid the lunch leftovers.

Virginia Hammer involved all the kids in a skit to show how ‘not’ to set up a camp in the woods. She is a back country ranger for the Okanogan National Forrest. One student dressed as a bear and raided the campsite at night. The campers wished they had not left food in their tent.

Many past 6th graders who are now adults remember Camp ‘D’ as one of the highlights of their school experiences. Many thanks to Randy Langseth and the other teachers for inviting GBOP to this year’s camp.

Hillspring Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Released 4 Grizzly Cubs-Dawon Creek, BC

2007-05-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Following is an extract from a website update written by Barb Murray at http://bearmatters.com.

History was ‘officially’ made on Weds, May 16, 2007! A North American bear rehabilitor, Leona Green, has successfully raised 4 orphaned grizzly cubs (2 female), taking them from 15-20lbs in July ‘06 to their release weight of well in excess of 100lbs. The bigger size for their age class will give the cub’s a fighting chance with preditory carnivores. The cub’s diet consisted of high protein from donated venison and salmon, grains, veggies and fruit ( including natural berries previously picked and frozen). Leona Green has raised and released two female grizzlies in 1996 but they were not officially counted by the authorities at that time.

Grizzly bear rehabilitation is done in other parts of the world like Russia and Romania but North American authorities have been shy to embrace it for ‘liablity’ reasons ( I believe?). Thanks to some progressive and compassionate Conservation Officers in Northern BC Leona Green was able to help give these four cubs plus two black bears a second chance this year. She has now rehabbed over 100 bears successfully over 30years (not one of the bears have shown up and caused problems).

Girl Scout's become Bear Aware

2007-05-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

On a cool weekend in April, a hardy bunch of Girl Scouts (250 of them) gathered in Carnation, WA for their annual encampment event. They built rain shelters, canoed the lake, created works of art and performed skits around the campfire. A highlight was the retiring of an American flag in a special ceremony.

GBOP’s own Julie Hayes lead forest nature hikes for the Brownies, the Junior campers and their parents. Bear safety and biology were on topic, and many thoughtful questions were asked by campers and parents alike. As it turns out, many of the families had experienced some bear activity (mostly in garbage cans) in their neighborhoods. GBOP brochures packed full of useful information on safe camping, hiking and home sanitation were passed out to extend the learning at home.

Bear Affair Weekend

2007-05-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Woodland Park Zoo and GBOP hosted what is quickly becoming an annual event anticipated by both patrons of the zoo and the bears that live there. Keema and Denali, both 950 pound Brown (Grizzly) Bears put on quite a show. With donated equipment from REI, the zoo staff, GBOP and invited members of the public set up a campsite in the bear compound. Everything was done incorrectly to demonstrate what bears can do to your camp if you leave food nearby or worse yet, in your tent.

The bears went thru the camp systematically looking for and finding all of the hidden treats.

In about the same time as it takes to set up camp, the bears had completely demolished everything. People watching the camp destruction quickly understood the value of setting up a proper camp.

Over 2,000 people visited the Bear Affair activities. Everyone enjoyed themselves, but no one had as much fun as Keema and Denali. You can check out a You Tube video of the event at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CARM1-ZQYb4.

The GBOP website has lots of tips for living and camping in bear country: http://www.bearinfo.org/tips.htm.

Photo credits by Dennis Ryan and Wendy Gardner

Back Country Horsemen Spring Ride

2007-05-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Each spring members of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington get together at Beaver Creek campground in the Methow Valley to spend a weekend of riding, socializing and general togetherness. This year was no exception. Over 300 folks camped out and had a great time. The official Saturday ride attracted 270 horses and their riders for an eleven mile round trip. A stop at the midway point allowed horses to rest and riders to enjoy a catered steak dinner hosted by the Methow Chapter of the BCH. There are 36 chapters with over 3,000 members in Washington State.

After the ride the care of the horses are the top priority. Kids learn this at an early age. The event was also an opportunity for GBOP to hand out material and discuss bear safety in the back country. If you spend much time in the woods you are likely to encounter bears sooner or later. Back Country Horsepeople share the wilderness that bears call home. The proper safety tips can mean the difference between a fun bear experience and a person-bear conflict.

Looking back on the weekend most of use can't wait till next year.

First Tuesday Presentation

2007-05-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

The Methow Conservancy invited GBOP to give a presentation entitled "Bears of the North Cascades and Beyond" at their April First Tuesday event held at the Twisp River Pub. The house was packed as the lights went down and Mary Kiesau introduced Chris Morgan and Dennis Ryan from GBOP.

Chris shared his experiences traveling the world to study bears. From Norway to the Andes, Pakistan to the Rocky Mountains, the audience took a virtual tour of the global state that bears find themselves in today's gloal warming trend.

Dennis followed that act up with a discussion of bears of the North Cascade Ecosystem. Do they indeed exist? What are their numbers, habits and habitat? How can this habitat be protected and the declining number of North Cascade Grizzlies be recovered to a viable population?

A hearty discussion followed the presentation. Obvisouly the public was informed and intested in the plight of Washington's bear population. Many thanks to the Methow Conservancy for hosting the presentation.

Wildlife Highway Crossings

2007-05-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hidden cameras let you spy on animals as they go about their business.

Dr. Tony Clevenger of the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University has research video cameras that record the passage of a variety of large mammals using Banff National Park’s wildlife crossing structures under the TransCanada Highway. To view video clips of grizzly bear, black bear, mountain lion, elk and deer go to this website:

http://www.coe.montana.edu/wti/road_ecology/whats%20new.php

The Washington Department of Transportation has future plans to build wildlife under passes on I-90 in the North Cascades area.

REI bear hugs GBOP

2007-02-15T13:51:00.000-08:00

Yes, REI has embraced GBOP. Over 140 people gathered at REI recently to listen to a presentation by Chris Morgan, co-director of GBOP.

Chris has traveled the world in search of Brown Bears (aka Grizzly Bears) and the study of the habitats in which they live. His slide show was a virtual feast of wild bears in wild places. From Spitsbergen to Spain, Canada to Russia, bears rule the wilderness. Yet, without exception their habitats are threatened by development and encroachment. Looming on the horizon is the mother of all threats – GLOBAL WARMING. In Spain the bears are not hibernating. In the artic bears rely on sea ice to hunt their major source of food, the seal, and this ice is receding further and further north with each passing year. Soon the sea ice is predicted to disappear entirely in the summer months.

Thinking globally and acting locally has never been more relevant. In the North Cascades ecosystem grizzly bears have declined to the point that less than 20 survive. This is not a population that is likely to survive without help. The North Cascades was designated a grizzly bear recovery zone in 1983 by the US Department of Fish and Wildlife. After the presentation, the audience had many questions concerning recovery plans for North Cascade grizzlies.

GBOP thanks REI for their support in our continuing education programs and for their sponsorship of bear awareness weekends. Mark your calendar for April 21 and 22 to join us at the Woodland Park Zoo where the resident brown bears will be the center of attraction.

Photo credit Dennis Ryan

No rest for the weary

2007-01-03T08:24:00.000-08:00

Did you know that bears are an umbrella species? The health of a bear population is a reflection of the health of the ecosystem in which they live. Did you know that bears hibernate throughout the winter? Talk about a good nights sleep! Did you know that bears have stopped hibernating in the mountains of northern Spain? This may be one of the strongest signals yet of how much climate change is affecting the natural world.

In a December in which bumblebees, butterflies and even swallows have been on the wing in Britain, European brown bears have been lumbering through the forests of Spain's Cantabrian mountains, when normally they would already be in their long, annual sleep.

Bears are supposed to slumber throughout the winter, slowing their body rhythms to a minimum and drawing on stored resources, because frozen weather makes food too scarce to find. The barely breathing creatures can lose up to 40 per cent of their body weight before warmer springtime weather rouses them back to life.

Please Click here to read the complete article.

Why do we care about sleeping bears? Besides the fact that we might globally warm ourselves right out of existence, unlocking the secrets of hibernating grizzlies may help people live longer and stay healthier.

Mike Stark writes in the Billings Gazette that researchers for years have been trying to understand how the bears survive such a long, slothful period without suffering lasting ill effects.

In particular, scientists are looking at what the napping bears can teach about staving off heart disease, extending the viability of transplant organs and maintaining muscle tone in bedridden patients or astronauts in space.

Much of the research is happening at Washington State University, where 10 captive grizzly bears, some of them from the Northern Rockies, are studied year-round.

How global warming affects Polar Bears

2006-12-29T11:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is a grizzly bear blog, but did you know that polar bears are very closely related to grizzly bears? They have evolved from brown/grizzly bears only over the last 250,000 years to become one of the most perfectly adapted creatures on the planet.

I guide expeditions to the far north each year to the Norwegian arctic islands of Svalbard - just 600 miles from the north pole. It's an incredible landscape - surely one of the most beautiful in the world. But the most special thing about this isolated jewel is the population of polar bears that call it home. We generally see up to forty polar bears during each 10 day expedition, many of them hunting for ringed and bearded seals on the last remaining ice of the summer months.

2006 saw a surprising lack of summer ice - in fact, the pack was 100 miles further north than an average year, which meant that bears were more densely gathered around the few remaining sections of fast ice. It was a blunt reminder of the effects of climate change. I photographed the female and cubs below as they hunted seals on a quickly-shrinking piece of ice. Polar bears can not hunt successfully without ice - access to the prized ring seals generally happens in one of two ways - lying in wait over a seal's breathing hole, or stalking across the ice in a surprise attack. Once the winter ice has disappeared the bears have no option but to rest up and conserve as much energy as possible until the winter months bring back their icy hunting substrate.

Climate change is warming the arctic environment at an unprecedented rate meaning that the period of ice-free months is
lengthening. This puts incredible strain on the metabolism of a polar bear that is waiting for a meal. Incredibly, they can go for months without eating a seal, but as the days grow warmer, the polar bears are increasingly affected. For example, research by Dr Ian Stirling and Dr Nick Lunn in Hudson Bay has shown that for every additional week that a polar bear is land locked (away from the hunting substrate of the ice) it is 10 kilograms (22 pounds) lighter! Let's hope that today's proposed listing of polar bears on the endangered species act will help secure a future for this species.