Local Group Conducts Bear Smart Assessment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (December 1st, 2004)                                                                                                                                                  Jim Davis (360) 705-1549

Most people in the North Cascades treasure the sight of a wild bear.  But, rural residents and bears can come into conflict.  “People are very seldom injured, but the bears often end up dead,” said Chris Morgan, bear ecologist and GBOP Co-Director.  Fortunately, most conflicts can easily be prevented through the adoption of bear smart practices in our communities.

The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) is conducting a Bear Smart Assessment in eastern Skagit and Whatcom Counties during November and December.  The assessment will identify situations where bears and humans may come into conflict.  “We are trying to understand the scope of the problem, so we can develop an effective education program,” said Nan Laney, GBOP Field Coordinator.  The assessment includes interviews with local officials, community leaders, farmers, ranchers, long-term residents, garbage haulers, and representatives from wildlife agencies, tribes, law enforcement agencies, and agricultural organizations. 

Bears are omnivores, with vegetation comprising about 90% - 95% of their diet.  They are opportunistic feeders that vary their diet depending on what is available.  They also have extremely good memories and will return frequently to places where food has been found.  “A human food conditioned bear behaves much like a dog begging at your dinner table, one reward and he’ll be back for more,” said Morgan.  Innocent behaviors by humans can create problem bears that affect the whole community.  Items like bird feeders and compost piles can bring bears sniffing.  Small changes by smart people can make a big difference in whether a community experiences bear conflicts.

The Bear Smart Assessment will look at the types of human behaviors that may lead to conflicts with bears in eastern Whatcom and Skagit Counties.  The assessment will examine issues such as storage and disposal of household trash (including illegal trash dumping); storage and disposal of garbage from restaurants, resorts, and schools; agricultural practices that may attract bears to ranches, orchards, vineyards, berry farms, and small produce farms; backyard behaviors that may attract bears (including bird feeders, bar-b-que grills, and pet food); and management of vegetation around parks, schools, and rural communities.

Results from the Bear Smart Assessment will be provided to local officials and residents through a report scheduled to be released in January of 2005.  The assessment and report will determine the types of behaviors and practices that may lead to conflicts with bears, but not identify specific problems in each rural community.  Elected officials and local residents will be encouraged to identify and prevent specific human-bear conflicts in their communities.  The GBOP will provide support for communities, businesses, and families that would like to achieve Bear Smart recognition.  “It’s very important to recognize the people who are taking steps to reduce conflicts with wildlife,” said Jim Davis, GBOP Co-Director. 

The GBOP is a community-based education project providing accurate information on bears, the grizzly bear recovery process in the North Cascades, and ways to make our homes, businesses, and communities bear safe.   The GBOP is funded by multiple partners including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, Northwest Ecosystem Alliance, Defenders of Wildlife, Seattle City Light, Wildtime Foods, and Woodland Park Zoo. 

For more information on Bear Smart Assessment, visit  www.bearinfo.org/bearsmart.htm

If you have information that would help with the Bear Smart Assessment, call 360-856-5076. 

Additional Background Facts About Grizzly Bears and Black Bears in the North Cascades and United States

• Grizzly bears and black bears have been present in the North Cascades for thousands of years.

• European settlers dramatically reduced grizzly bear populations during the 1800s, while black bear populations have continued to thrive.

• Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1975.

• There are approximately 1,200 grizzly bears currently in the lower 48 states, with most concentrated in the Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems. 

• About five to twenty grizzly bears currently reside in the North Cascades of Washington.

• About 6,000 black bears currently reside in the North Cascades, and are much more likely to be encountered than grizzly bears.

• The North Cascades in British Columbia also harbors about five to twenty grizzly bears.

• There are plans to add five to six grizzly bears to the North Cascades in British Columbia over the next few years.

• No grizzly bears have been "added" to the North Cascades in Washington.

• The US Fish and Wildlife Service will have to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement with extensive public input before adding grizzly bears to the North Cascades.

• A recovered grizzly bear population in the North Cascades of Washington would include 200-400 bears.

• It would take up to 100 years to achieve a recovered grizzly bear population in the North Cascades of Washington.

• The diet of grizzly bears and black bears is about 90-95% vegetation.

• The US Fish and Wildlife Service considers every grizzly bear observation in the North Cascades of Washington as critically important.  Sightings should be reported to 1-888-WOLF-BEAR.

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