Concerning Grizzle Bears... from the Casper Star Tribune

By The Associated Press:


JACKSON -- Biologists estimate that 39 grizzly bears have died in northwestern Wyoming this year.

Seventeen bears were shot by hunters and enough male grizzly bears have died to exceed a 15 percent mortality threshold for management review.

Under that provision, if the mortality rate for male grizzly bears exceeds 15 percent for three years in a row, state agencies would review their management policies for grizzly bears.

Such a review could result in putting grizzlies back on the Endangered Species List.

If another female grizzly is killed by a hunter this year, female bear deaths would pass a 9 percent threshold that would trigger a similar review after two consecutive years.

The thresholds were last surpassed in 2000. The grizzly death counts aren't exact numbers.

When someone other than a wildlife manager reports a grizzly bear death, researchers count it as three toward the thresholds because roughly two-thirds of citizen-caused grizzly deaths go unreported, said study team leader and U.S. Geological Survey researcher Chuck Schwartz.

"We know that there are bears that die in the ecosystem that we don't hear about," he said.

Schwartz said the numbers were being released while large numbers of hunters head for the woods for the general hunting season, two to four weeks before grizzlies begin hibernation.

"We wanted to get the word out before a large number of hunters hit the field so we don't end up with a bunch more dead bears on the ground," he said. "We want to emphasize to the public that you have to be careful out there. We don't want to reconsider delisting the bear."

Researchers estimate that the Greater Yellowstone's grizzly population is higher than last year: 596 bears, up from 571. Schwartz and his team made the estimate based on 84 new cubs observed with 44 females.

Researchers estimate that the population continues to grow about 4 percent annually.

Louisa Willcox, a wildlife advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said she was shocked about this year's bear deaths so far.

"It's very, very disturbing and should give us all pause," she said.