The Status of the Grizzly Bear in the Northern Rockies: Progress Toward Delisting?

Grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem have met recovery goals, are recovered, and should be delisted.  Successful delisting under requirements of the Endangered Species Act requires meeting recovery goals and requires that adequate regulatory mechanisms be in place post-delisting so that the species will remain recovered. Acceptable mortality management including some level of sport hunting could be possible if science-based mortality limits to stabilize the population are carefully applied within the core management area post-delisting. Unfortunately, some agency administrators have removed necessary regulatory details about mortality management and wish to limit to limit the time period for application of the regulatory mechanisms that would be used to demonstrate recovery.  The same administrators have pushed for managed population decline inside core recovery area after delisting. Managed population decline in the core recovery area is scientifically indefensible for a species like the grizzly with such a low reproductive rate.  State administrators also removed any reference in the post-delisting management plan to the important fact that grizzly bears are a conservation-reliant species (Scott et al. 2010; Goble et al. 2012) and will require careful management in perpetuity. Ideologically based erosion of science and necessary regulatory mechanisms puts successful delisting at risk.  Such an approach does not serve: 1) the needs of the public who have been partners with the agencies in the achievement of recovery and who desire successful delisting to obtain increased management flexibility outside core areas; or 2) the conservation of grizzly bears who need public support to remain recovered

Common Themes in Recent Human Fatalities Due to Grizzly Bear Attacks

There have been 8 fatal grizzly bear attacks on humans in the lower 48 states since 2001. Of these, 6 occurred in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, and 2 occurred in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. An additional encounter occurred in the Cabinet/Yaak ecosystem where a hunter shot and wounded a grizzly bear and then entered thick brush in pursuit of the wounded bear.  The bear then attacked him and his hunting partner accidentally shot and killed him while trying to shoot the bear.  Of the 8 fatal attacks, 4 occurred in National Forests, 3 in Yellowstone Park, and 1 on Montana state game range lands.  Human behaviors at the time of the attacks involved hunting, camping at night, hiking, and mountain biking.  Seven of the eight attacks occurred during daylight. Five of the fatalities involved lone individuals and 4 of these were lone hikers. Bear spray was not carried or used by any of the people killed in these attacks. Consistent messaging by management agencies about how to be safe in bear country has not been successful in convincing the public to adopt safety practices.  Further efforts are necessary to educate users in grizzly habitat of the risks involved with certain behaviors and the cost of ignoring agency safety messages. The likelihood of fatal encounters could be significantly reduced by the adoption of common safety practices such as not hiking or hunting alone, not running when encountering a bear, the use of bear spray, and understanding the increased danger involved when surprising a bear due to fast travel in grizzly county by trail running or mountain biking

Montana’s Bat And White-Nose Syndrome Surveillance Efforts

Montana’s bat populations face a wide array of conservation issues, including loss of roosting sites, collision and drowning hazards at sites where they forage and drink, barotrauma and collision hazards at wind farms, and the potential arrival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the cold-adapted soil fungus that causes White-Nose Syndrome and has decimated bat populations in eastern North America. These conservation issues, and the low reproductive output of bats, highlight the need to gather baseline information that can be used to mitigate impacts to populations. Beginning in the fall of 2011, a collaborative effort was initiated to document roost habitat characteristics and year-round spatial and temporal activity patterns of Montana’s bats.  To-date, collaborators have deployed over 30 temperature and relative humidity data loggers near known winter bat roosts; most known bat hibernacula in Montana are now being monitored. Collaborators have also established a statewide array of 50 passive ultrasonic detector/recorder stations that are deployed year-round and powered by solar panels and deep cycle batteries. Through January 2014, these recording stations have resulted in more than 2.35 million sound files containing more than 7.5 terabytes of information. Highlights to-date include numerous first records of species in regions with previously limited bat survey effort, numerous first records of bat activity during the fall, winter, and spring months, documentation of temperatures at which bats are active year-round, documentation of winter bat roost temperatures, documentation of nightly activity patterns throughout the year, and the potential year-round presence of species previously considered migratory

Montana’s Bat and White-Nose Syndrome Surveillance Efforts

Montana’s bat populations face a wide array of conservation issues, including loss of roosting sites, collision and drowning hazards at sites where they forage and drink, barotrauma and collision hazards at wind farms, and the potential arrival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the cold-adapted soil fungus that causes White-Nose Syndrome and has decimated bat populations in eastern North America. These conservation issues, and the low reproductive output of bats, highlight the need to gather baseline information that can be used to mitigate impacts to populations. Beginning in the fall of 2011, a collaborative effort was initiated to document roost habitat characteristics and yearround spatial and temporal activity patterns of Montana’s bats. To-date, collaborators have deployed over 30 temperature and relative humidity data loggers near known winter bat roosts; most known bat hibernacula in Montana are now being monitored. Collaborators have also established a statewide array of 50 passive ultrasonic detector/recorder stations that are deployed year-round and powered by solar panels and deep cycle batteries. Through January 2014, these recording stations have resulted in more than 2.35 million sound files containing more than 7.5 terabytes of information. Highlights to-date include numerous first records of species in regions with previously limited bat survey effort, numerous first records of bat activity during the fall, winter, and spring months, documentation of temperatures at which bats are active year-round, documentation of winter bat roost temperatures, documentation of nightly activity patterns throughout the year, and the potential year-round presence of species previously considered migratory

Diet Composition and Body Condition of Northern Continental Divide Grizzly Bears, Montana

From 2009–2013, we documented apparent population health by investigating food use and physiological condition of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE), Montana.  We used stable isotope analysis upon hair and blood tissue to obtain information on percent terrestrial meat and plant matter in the diets of NCDE bears.  We also assessed body fat content of grizzly bears via bioelectrical impedance analysis.  Adult females used less meat compared to subadults and adult males (P < 0.0001).  Bears within regions on the southwestern, southern, and eastern periphery of the ecosystem consumed a significantly higher proportion of meat than those in the interior or northwestern periphery (P < 0.0001).  Diets of bears in the Whitefish Mountains and North and South Fork of the Flathead River were, on average, composed of 70% less meat than those on the East Front.  Adult males had significantly higher den entrance body fat contents than adult females and subadults (P < 0.0001).  Average body fat of adult females varied significantly between those in areas of high consumption of meat and those otherwise.  However, we find adult females across all regions enter dens at mean fat levels above those thought to be critical for cub production (i.e., > 20%).  We conclude that, within each region, the quantity and quality of foods appear adequate to meet the needs of reproductively-active adult females.  As truly opportunistic omnivores, grizzly bears in each region of the NCDE exploit diverse combinations of food items to arrive at productive body conditions

GRIZZLY BEAR ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT IN THE MISSION MOUNTAINS MONTANA

A study of the biology of the grizzly bear in the Mission Mountains with discussion of their range and the resources they use at different times during the year. Also makes suggestions for management of the tribal wilderness area in order to reduce man-