Grizzly bears beginning to emerge in upper Snake River region
Idaho Fish and Game announced today that grizzly bears are beginning to emerge from winter hibernation in the upper Snake River region.
Those heading into territory that is the natural habitat are reminded to carry bear spray and follow suggestions for safety in those areas. Below is the full release from Idaho Fish and Game:
Recent radio tracking flights indicate that collared grizzly bears in the Upper Snake Region have begun to emerge from their dens. Grizzly bears tend to den at higher elevations so generally not many dens are located in the Upper Snake, but a few bears were noted to have denned in the region this last winter. Collar data shows that grizzly bears are exiting their winter dens and are beginning to venture forth in search of food. Now is the time for those persons who are headed out into the backcountry to start carrying bear spray and remember to follow suggestions that will help reduce the chance of conflict with bears.
The Intermountain West has always been home to bears. Even in those times and places where humans worked to eliminate grizzly bears, black bears were generally allowed to exist. Today, grizzly bears with the help of man have made incredible strides towards recovery. This means that as both species of bears go about their routines to survive; an ever expanding human presence means that the opportunity for an encounter with a bear is possible. This closeness to wildness is why many people choose to live, work, and visit in the region.
The price for this opportunity to experience nature firsthand means that humans need to be as educated about how bears live. Knowing what bears need to survive and what humans do that can cause conflicts is important to reducing the chance for problems. Bears generally avoid humans because they have learned contact usually has negative results.
Failure to respect bears or any animal can have negative outcomes for all parties involved. Like all animals, grizzly bears should be respected, but need not be feared. Part of understanding about how to react to bears is based on being able to tell the difference between the two species found in the region. The Idaho Department of Fish & Game has a section of its website devoted to learning how to tell the difference and can be accessed by anyone at this link.
