Bringing Grizzlies Back In The North Cascades?

[Fun CH]

Keeping our garbage can inside a shed has stopped one black bear from visiting our home. When I called a State wildly agency for advice, they said that they don't relocate problem bears any longer because they don't do well in new unfamiliar territory. But really not the bears fault if humans move into bear habitat and leave garbage out.

I guess that relocating problem doesn't apply to the griz that the NP wants to relocate?

The bigger problem here seems to be a few problem urbahumanus that can't find swimming habitat in the winter because, due to climate change, migrated North out of their natural habitat. Perhaps we need relocation funding for them?

[mister_coffee]

Coexisting with large charismatic megafauna is going to require a bit of effort and adaptation.

What we'd need to consider here is how garbage is handled (you can't leave garbage cans for pickup along the road in the morning, you just can't). Also, gardens and orchards and probably the transfer station in Twisp would require electric fencing. Also obviously chicken coops will need to be defended.

My criticism of previous proposals for reintroducing grizz here is that they didn't include any funding for that above, or even educational efforts for the above.

My other big question is that we have an existing black bear population, and at least some of those bears are going to be evicted by the grizz from their range. Where will they go? I'd suspect we'd have more bear problems from displaced black bears than from the grizz.

[Fun CH]

"Grizzly bear trapped, relocated after getting into chicken coop in Stevens County"

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/ ... ing-into-/

[PAL]

Ha Ha, that's good, bees vs bears. I think I remember hearing about this story. I think it might have been on the ski trails up there. But also a woman was killed by a cougar a few years ago.
Well, you know, people have to have their dogs with them no matter what.

[mister_coffee]

See, they killed the bear, due to "aggressive behavior". What in heck do people expect? These are eating machines, not some docile pet. These bears are incredible, at the top of the food chain, except against euthanasia. It is said people and grizzlies can co-exist. Ok, bring them in, but don't kill them if they eat or maul someone. Grrrr.

It would be interesting to know the context. There is always a context to these incidents.

One thing I've concluded is that your risk of a bear attack (or generally a negative bear encounter) goes up dramatically if you are hiking with dogs.

It is important to keep things in perspective. Far more people are killed by bees than by bears.

https://theconversation.com/americas-mo ... r%20widely.

[PAL]

See, they killed the bear, due to "aggressive behavior". What in heck do people expect? These are eating machines, not some docile pet. These bears are incredible, at the top of the food chain, except against euthanasia. It is said people and grizzlies can co-exist. Ok, bring them in, but don't kill them if they eat or maul someone. Grrrr.

[Fun CH]

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ ... 023-10-01/

[mister_coffee]

It seems that all they are doing is enumerating options. One of which is reintroduction. They will still be talking about this long after we are all dead and it is unlikely any specific action (e.g. reintroduction) will ever be taken.

As for Canada, I find it interesting that just north of us there have been no confirmed grizz sightings S of Highway 3 (the Crowsnest Highway through Manning Park) since the early 1970s. But north of there are some pretty popular hiking areas that are major bear freeways, with places like Three Brothers Mountain and Paradise Valley having fairly frequent bear encounters. Still in all, not many Canadians are being messily devoured or mauled there. The dominant factor in this phenomenon seems to be the highway itself, which bears are hesitant to cross (it is a four lane highway for much of the distance).

If you travel in the wilderness with appropriate respect, caution, and care your risk of grizzly attack is for all practical purposes zero. The overwhelming majority of situations which lead to a dangerous bear encounter are ultimately under the control of the human. So again, if people exercise common sense then there is nothing at all to be concerned about.

[pasayten]

https://www.khq.com/news/grizzly-bear-c ... jz9C4bZdx8

[Jingles]

If the north Cascades was a suitable habitat for the grizzly they would be here on their own with migrating from BC they don't recognize an imaginary line in the dirt
2023 cougar killed in Winthrop 100 yards from school bus stop 10 minutes before bus due. A matter of which is more important the cougar or the kids those that say the cougar should be trapped and relocated Sorry but the dam cat knows where an easy meal is and would of returned
Who else has rifle of a caliber to protect kids waiting for school bus from a griz same decision to make kids or bear which is more important?

[PAL]

Neither am I. They had to kill 11 grizzlies in Montana in 2022. Some was for livestock predation. The people that want this try to reassure us that the bears won't come down to the Valley floor. And they eat mostly berries they say. How quaint. But there are stats given in several studies that give a percentage of how much meat they eat. There are no assurances that they would not visit us.
If they do come around, I don't want to see them killed and this is what would happen if they were eating people's animals. Or if in the mountains, and a person got attacked, would the officials kill it?
I am sure the Backcountry horse people do not want to see this either.
The experts say that it is because of the highways and people that they are no longer in the Cascades. That is probably true. Let them be where they are and where they want to be. I know there are not that many left. But increase the numbers where they are.
We always have to meddle it seems. I love the environment, but even some or maybe alot of environmentalists have gone too far. There needs to be balance.

[pasayten]

I am not in favor of this...

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHom ... tId=112008