Another bad year for the grizzly in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem draws to a close Grizzly bears have suffered another bad year in the Yellowstone Country (the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem -- GYE), although it was better than the previous three years. This article gives the facts, in contrast to the official optimistic statements, about how the grizzly population is expanding rapidly. These optimistic statements are not necessarily false; but they are, I believe, also intended to justify the plan to take the Yellowstone Country grizzlies off the threatened species list. As of November 1997, thirteen grizzly bears are known dead in the GYE. Ten deaths were human-caused (one is not being counted against the recovery plans "mortality limit" because it took place ten miles outside the recovery zone). Four of the human-caused motalities were adult female grizzlies. This is the 4th year in a row that grizzly deaths have exceeded the maximum allowed in the Yellowstone grizzly recovery plan.
Here is the list of human-caused, grizzly deaths:
| Sex | Age | Date | Location | Circumstances |
| male | at least 2 years | 5/8/97 | Ranch near Red Lodge, MT | A rancher shot the grizzly numerous times with a .22. She said she thought it was a black bear attacking her horses. She was prosecuted and fined. |
| female | 8 years | 8/15/97 | Cabin Creek, Madison Range, MT | Bear no. 254. She was shot by a hunter. The shooting is under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bear had been in this general area for a number of years. |
| male | 2-3 years | 8/26/97 | Green River area, Wind River Range, WY | Bear no. 293. This was a "management" control. The bear was habituated to humans and was "working" a campground. This death will not be counted to grizzly recovery because the bear was ten miles south of the recovery zone boundary. |
| female | adult | 9/2/97 | Coyote Creek. Teton Wilderness, WY | Shot by a hunter in self-defense. The carcass was not found, but death is assumed. The bear was shot three times at close range. The bear was thought to have 2 cubs. This was never verified either. |
| female & three yearling cubs | adult female & three yearlings | 9/15/97 | Silvertip Creek, Teton Wilderness, WY | By far the worst incident of the year. It is still under investigation. Two guides and one client were hunting this deep wilderness area. One guide became separated. Supposedly the group encircled the bears and one guide was attacked by a yearling. The guide sustained minor injuries. Somehow all four bears were shot and killed. |
| male | probably adult | 10/4/97 | Wapiti Creek, Taylor Fork drainage. Madison Range, MT | Bear no. 297. This bear had been collared for research purposes and released at this site in July 97. The mortality was hunter-caused, and is still under investigation. |
| male | 5-6 years | 10/26/97 | Tom Miner Basin. Gallatin Range, MT | Two hunters and their guide were in Tom Miner. The hunters separated. One hunter and a guide worked a ridge while the other walked the road. The single hunter heard movements and "woofs", turned, saw the bear charging and shot it from 25-feet. The hunter returned an hour later, found the bear still breathing, and dispatched it. |
| Addendum: Natural deaths | Three cubs are known to have died of natural causes. Two were found in the DuNoir drainage, apparently killed by predation. One was injured in the northern part of Yellowstone by another bear. An attempt to save the bear failed when veterinarians determined the cub's spine was broken. | |||
Minimum population estimate and mortality limits-The minimum estimated population of grizzly bears in the GYE is, as of the end of 1997, 253 bears.
Here is how the figure is determined.
1. First the minimum number of adult females in the population is estimated. Minimum adult females is based on observations of females with cubs for a three year running total minus female human-caused motalities during the three years. These figures are 1995 (17), 1996 (33), 1997 (31) = 81-9 = 72 adult females.
2. The minimum population estimate is number of adult females/0.284. 72/0.284 = 253 bears.
3. Total allowable human-caused grizzly mortality is 4% of the minimum population estimate -- 10.12 bears.
4. Total allowable human-caused adult female mortality is 30% of 10.12, or 3.03 dead adult females.
In 1997, total human-caused mortality was 10, at the limit. This was the first time in three years it did not exceed the limit. Female mortality was 4, over the limit of 3.03. 1997 would have been a very good year had it not been for the rash of hunter-caused motalities. An effort is underway to get hunters to carry pepper spray for grizzly attacks. It has been proven more effective than a gun shot in halting an attack. Hunters are less likely to be injured, and negatively-conditioned grizzly is the result being sprayed rather than a dead or wounded bear. In 1997 pepper spray was effectively used a number of times. Only one minor human injury occurred.
Notice that all of these figures are heavily dependent on unduplicated observations of females with cubs. These figures have been heavily criticized because number of observed bears is partially dependent on factors other than true population size. Such factors as observation effort and weather also influence the number of observed females with cubs.
Many people believe the true grizzly population is closer to 300 - 350 bears in the GYE. 253 is the minimum estimate. Recovery depends on the estimated minimum population figure.
My article on Yellowstone grizzlies in 1996The information on which this article was based was kindly supplied by Wild Forever, a great organization working on behalf of wildlands in the U.S. and Canada, and all the wonderful, big critters that exist in wild country.