Yellowstone full, grizzlies head south

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

By Matthew Irwin

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Aided by a growth rate of 4 percent to 7 percent over the last 10 years, grizzly bears from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are expanding their territory south, but not near residential areas, according to a state official.

“Their range and distribution is expanding into areas that we have not seen in recent decades,” said Mike Boyce, a bear behaviorist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “Last year, we saw grizzlies as far south as the Wyoming Range and Hoback Canyon . . . Teton Pass. They are not real abundant, but they are expanding.”

The majority of the bears come from Yellowstone National Park, where the population is at capacity, Boyce said.

Male grizzlies have a home range of about 60 square miles, while females travel considerably less. Not being very territorial, however, the species will expand slowly, with individuals overlapping quite a bit, he said.

Grizzlies tend to follow river bottoms such as the Snake River, Boyce said, and the west side of the Tetons is a suitable habitat.

Over the next five to 10 years, grizzlies will continue to expand into the southern part of Jackson Hole. Though Boyce expects the bears to stay away from residential areas, homeowners should store attractants, especially garbage, and they should hang birdfeeders at least 10 feet off the ground and four feet from the nearest structure.

Hunters and people recreating should also take greater care to be aware of grizzlies.

Despite some reports that proliferation pushes bears into unfamiliar territory and increases potential for encounters (48 bears were killed by humans in the Yellowstone region last year), Boyce said that expansion is good for the animal.
“It’s very exciting,” he said. “We’ve been successful with grizzly conservation in the last 10 to 20 years, and this is proof.” PJH
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Yellowstone full, grizzlies head south | Planet JH News Article: General Environment

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