The Grizzly Situation

Have you ever read the book We’re Going On A Bear Hunt?  The adventurous family in this childhood classic traipses through a deep cold river, a big dark forest, and other obstacles, all the while reciting, “We’re going on a bear hunt.  We’re going to catch a big one.  What a beautiful day!  We’re not scared.”  The family eventually finds their bear in a narrow gloomy cave, but I won’t spoil any more of the ending for you.  (If you want to see something really unsettling, check out this recitation by googly-eyed author Michael Rosen.)

We're not scared.

(Cave of the Mounds, Wisconsin, image by ClockFace)

As it turns out, however, this summer your adventurous family need not journey over the river and through the woods to catch sight of a bear.  You don’t even need to leave your car.

Prime bear hunting territory: Grand Teton National Park*
(Image by Michael Gäbler)

In Grand Teton National Park, a grizzly bear clan has made headlines for its frequent roadside appearances.  Catching a glimpse of the famous bears- two adult females and their cubs- is exciting for tourists, scientists, and park rangers alike, but such a close interaction between bears and humans can create bigger problems than mere traffic jams of camera-happy tourists.

Photogenic grizzly cubs.

Last Wednesday July 6, a man was killed by grizzly bear attack in Yellowstone Park for the first time in 25 years.  Two people died in the summer of 2010 from grizzly attacks in surrounding areas.  The circumstances surrounding each attack are different, but there’s no question that they are more likely to occur when bears and humans occupy the same territory. Encroaching development results in habitat loss for the widely roaming bears and a decline in their natural food supply, pushing bears into human territory.

The adult grizzly appears considerably more fearsome.  They grow up so fast....

(Image by Jean-Pierre Lavole in Denali National Park)

Unsurprisingly, grizzlies fare far worse than people in human-ursine interactions.  Last year, grizzly deaths hit record highs, and, according to U.S. Geological Survey biologist Chuck Swartz, “Eighty-five-plus percent of… bears that die, die because of people.”  Overall, however, the vulnerable grizzly bear population has recovered since their official listing as threatened in 1975.  Woodland and mountain regions in northwestern United States and adjacent Canadian provinces now hold an estimated 1,500 bears.

Yellowstone National Park, home to some of America's remaining grizzlies.

Many consider the slow rebound of the grizzlies to be a rare ecological success story.  But last week’s tragedy indicates that this story is not over.  The bear population is slowly increasing, and so is the human population, perhaps not as slowly.  The only thing not growing seems to be America’s wilderness area.  U.S. Citizens are facing major decisions regarding future land use and development and the importance of America’s wildlife.

In the meantime, if you and your family are going on a bear hunt in the Grand Tetons this summer, be sure to pack your camera.  You just might catch a big one.*

*Please do not actually hunt grizzlies in the lower 48 states.  It's illegal.