2002 Drought Conditions In Yellowstone Ecosystem Highlight Need To Minimize Conflicts Between Bears

IDAHO FALLS - The Yellowstone Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Management Subcommittee, which represents the state and federal agencies responsible for recovery of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem, reported today that dry conditions in much of the Yellowstone area during 2002 will lead to widespread bear activity and increased chance of bear/human encounters during the fall. Reg Rothwell, chair of the subcommittee said, "private landowners, hunters and other recreationists within the ecosystem should be especially careful this year because grizzly bears will be very active between now and the time they enter their dens." He warned that people should be particularly careful about making sure that food and other attractants are secured and unavailable to grizzly bears. The status of late summer and fall foods appears to be mixed this year. Bears in the northern part of the ecosystem entered the summer in good physical condition due to the early season use of whitebark pine cones leftover from last year's very good cone crop. However, whitebark pine surveys, which are conducted each year across the ecosystem to assess seed production, indicate low levels of cone production for 2002. Whitebark pine is one of the most important fall food sources for grizzly bears. The number of grizzly bear-human conflicts and management actions tend to increase during years of low cone production. Rothwell reported, "In the southeastern corner of the ecosystem, an apparent abundance of army cutworm moths may likely help offset the poor whitebark cone production during early fall." Wyoming Game and Fish Department biologists have seen large numbers of grizzly bears feeding at moth aggregation sites since mid July. Although army cutworm moths are an annoyance to many people during their early summer migration from croplands on the Great Plains to high elevations in the mountains, they are an important, high energy, late summer food for grizzly bears. Berry crops appear to be good in southeastern portions of the ecosystem, but this food source will not last long into fall. Other plant foods, such as yampa and biscuit root, are also good this year in some parts of the ecosystem and will be available in lieu of other, preferred foods. Rothwell noted, "Dry conditions and mixed food availability this year will likely increase the number of nuisance bear incidents in the fall because many bears will be ranging widely as they search for food. There is high probability that many bears will move to low elevation areas, especially river and stream corridors, where moisture and foods are more abundant." When bears do move into low elevation areas, they often end up on private lands where food and garbage storage issues compound the problem. Scientists in the state and federal agencies monitoring grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area have reported 42 unduplicated females with cubs so far in 2002. The number of unduplicated females with cubs seen each year is used as an indicator of population status. Final numbers will be available in mid September after all sightings have been assessed. However, it is likely that a new record high count will be observed this year. Rothwell said, "State and federal agencies encourage private landowners and people using public lands to make human-related foods unavailable to bears so we can minimize bear-human conflicts." Hunters should be particularly alert and exercise caution while stalking game this fall. Hunters should also remove the carcasses of harvested animals from the kill site as quickly as possible. Harvested animal parts should be hung at a distance from hunters' camps and in such a way that they are unavailable to bears. The Yellowstone Ecosystem Subcommitee includes members from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks; the Shoshone, Bridger-Teton, Targhee, Gallatin, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and Custer National Forests; the wildlife departments of Wyoming, Montana and, Idaho; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and the U.S. Geological Survey.