Wyoming Wildlife magazine - 44

accountable for our actions. I take that responsibility very
seriously.
So why do I come back to it? At the end of the day, I believe
we are making a difference and still doing the right thing. I
want grizzly bears on the landscape, but I also want people
to be safe. That's why we have an overarching program that
focuses on education, outreach and mitigating conflicts to
reduce that potential, while being very honest with folks
that there is a risk out there. At the end of the day, I would
not do this if I didn't believe we were doing the right thing
for people and bears.
I have also developed amazing, lifelong relationships with
people and with families of people that have been injured or
lost a loved one, and been able to help provide some closure
to a family.
Q: Do you value grizzly bears?
DT: Absolutely. I am proud to say I work with these animals.
It's a very humbling experience to work with grizzlies or other
large carnivores. As human beings, it's easy to get disconnected with what I consider reality. If there is anything in
the world that allows you to realize your own insignificance,
it's a grizzly bear.
BD: Grizzly bears have a tremendous value and I think most
people recognize that. They contribute to the wildness of
Wyoming. A lot of people live where they do because there
are grizzly bears. Some people fear them, but I think most of
that is really a respect because we are not the top of the food
chain when it comes to grizzly bears.
LE: I do, a lot actually. Not just grizzly bears, but all the
animals I get to work with. Grizzly bears have been a part of
this ecosystem forever. Having grizzly bears and other large
carnivores on the landscape makes for a more rich outdoor
experience. There is just something about knowing they are
out there. It's hard to explain.
DB: Absolutely I do. I think they are one of the coolest animals
around. A lot of people say they are the ultimate symbol of a
wild, western frontier-type landscape. I think that's true. They
epitomize that. The factor for me that makes them so cool
is how interesting, adaptable and resilient they are. I find it
frustrating sometimes when people talk about how perilous
the bears' status is. They often don't give enough credit to the
bear and how adaptable and resilient they are. We want to
make sure we provide all the conservation measures we can
to ensure we have a robust and viable grizzly bear population far into the future. But these bears are tough and pretty
incredible animals. If we get out of the way and let them do
their thing, they will do well.

Grizzly bear damage
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department responds to a variety
of human-grizzly conflicts throughout the year when bears are
not hibernating. From 2016-19, Game and Fish responded to
an average of just under 200 such conflicts each year. As the
range of grizzlies continues to expand, so does the area where
these incidents occur. Grizzly bears are increasingly coming
into conflict with people in areas where they have not resided
in recent history.
The majority of human-grizzly conflicts involve cattle
depredation. Other types of conflicts include:
* Garbage
* Food for pets, livestock or birds
* Property damage
* Sheep depredation
* Poultry depredation
* Animal death
* Unsecured attractants
* Aggression toward humans
* Beehives
* Other
Game and Fish continues to explore multiple options to reduce
conflicts and expand education and outreach efforts.

Standing on the
shoulders of giants
The successful recovery of grizzly bears in Wyoming has been
accomplished through decades of work by dedicated men and
women who have invested significant energy and passion
into large carnivore management and recovery. While this
issue has focused largely on the current players in grizzly bear
management, they are not the only ones who have dedicated
their careers to grizzly recovery.
People like Mark Bruscino, Kirk Inberg, Colin Gillin, Dennie
Hammer, Frosty Hammond, Mike Hooker, Dave Moody,
Larry Roop and Kevin Roy laid the foundation for the current
program and its progress. While it's impossible to list all who
have been involved in Wyoming, Game and Fish recognizes
the tireless efforts, sacrifice and commitment of everyone
involved in the management of grizzly bears and who have
been instrumental in the species' recovery.
-WGFD staff

44 | December 2020

Wyoming Wildlife magazine

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