Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently unveiled an innovative online tool designed to provide the public with real-time data on grizzly bear mortalities throughout the state. The Grizzly Bear Mortality Dashboard offers detailed insights into the various factors contributing to grizzly bear deaths in Montana, outside of Tribal lands. The primary objective of this tool is to enhance transparency, educate local communities, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the circumstances surrounding bear mortalities.
“Tracking grizzly bear mortality is a key metric when we look at bear management,” explained FWP Chief of Conservation Policy Quentin Kujala in a press release. “This dashboard allows us to be transparent with the public on what kinds of mortality we’re seeing and what the causes are. It will also help reinforce our consistent message of securing attractants and being bear aware to avoid conflicts.”
Presently, grizzly bears in Montana are classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, Montana has submitted a petition to remove ESA protections from bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) and has extended support to Wyoming in a similar endeavor for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE).
Montana is home to four grizzly bear recovery zones, including the NCDE, GYE, the Bitterroot Ecosystem, and the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem. FWP estimates a population of approximately 2,000 grizzly bears in Montana, although an exact count remains challenging due to the inherent difficulty of estimating wildlife populations.
Recent years have witnessed the establishment of a comprehensive framework for grizzly bear management in Montana, encompassing statutes, regulations, rules, and a new management plan, which provides clarity on the management of grizzly bears in the state post the removal of ESA protections. Additionally, FWP has facilitated the relocation of two bears from the NCDE to the GYE to promote genetic connectivity.
Accurately estimating grizzly bear populations from year to year constitutes a pivotal aspect of Montana’s management plan. Mortalities serve as a critical data point for this estimation, and the new Grizzly Bear Mortality Dashboard aims to keep the public informed on a daily basis.
The Grizzly Bear Mortality Dashboard will be updated daily at 1 p.m. and will reset to the new year in January. Data from previous years will be accessible through FWP’s Grizzly Bear Management webpage.
Author: Karen Anderson
Karen is the Editor-in-Chief overseeing all news operations at Foxys Publishing Co. She also loves photography and spending time with her dogs.
