By Kris Inman EBS CONTRIBUTOR
It was a great
winter for skiers but the conditions that are best for winter sports
enthusiasts provide unique challenges for wildlife. Record snow fall with
temperatures well below zero resulted in deeper than normal snow depths that
remained on the ground for an extended period this winter.
These conditions
made it difficult for deer, elk and pronghorn to accesses the grasses lying
beneath the snow. In turn, this forced the herbivores to rely on their fat
reserves to not only fuel them when the grasses weren’t available, but to also
keep them warm. As a result, we can expect to see more winter-killed animals
this spring.
The carcasses of
winter-killed animals will be a boon for bears who recently emerged from dens
and are looking for food throughout the Big Sky area. Because Big Sky is
situated alongside some of the best bear habitat, you should be prepared to see
a bear on any of the area trails. For people, this adds another element to be
on the lookout for when out and enjoying spring outdoor activities.
If you smell or
see a carcass, or see concentrations of scavenger birds like ravens, don’t
investigate it, as it is likely the carcass has or will attract a bear. Once a
bear finds a carcass, it will defend this valuable food source.
The biggest challenge
to conserving bears today is reducing negative interactions with people. At one
time, there were less than 200 grizzly bears in Yellowstone. Now, as a result
of a successful recovery effort, 709 grizzly bears call the Greater Yellowstone
home. At the same time, the communities around Yellowstone are more than
keeping pace and are some of the fastest growing counties in the state.
As we share a
more crowded landscape, interactions take many forms. They can take the form of
surprise encounters between a bear and hunter or recreationist; food-conditioned
bears that have obtained unsecured trash and threaten human safety as the bears
become bolder and break into cars or enter homes; or when livestock become an
easy food source for the bear. We have the new challenge of wanting to stay
safe in the outdoors while supporting wildlife diversity.
There are a few practices
you can start to reduce the chance of a negative encounter with a bear. Be
aware of your surroundings as you recreate, don’t investigate a carcass, hike
in groups of three or more, and carry bear spray and know how to use it.
To learn more about bears and the actions you can take to reduce human conflicts with bears, follow Bernadette Bear on social media @bearsmartbigsky. Help support Bernadette in her campaign to create a more bear-safe and bear-aware community in Big Sky.
Kris Inman is the
community partnerships coordinator for the Wildlife Conservation Society and
oversees the Bear Smart Big Sky campaign.