Yellowstone: Conflicts involving bears, humans low in 2018

Yellowstone National Park officials say that despite the challenges of managing visitors eager to photograph wildlife in the park, the number of conflicts involving humans and bears was low in 2018.

Yellowstone biologist Kerry Gunther says in the park’s annual bear report that it was a considerable challenge to manage visitors who stopped to view and photograph bears foraging in roadside meadows, creating what she called “large bear jams.”

The Cody Enterprise reports rangers were notified of 1,627 grizzly and black bear sightings in the park between March 10, 2018, the first sighting of bear activity of the spring, through Dec. 20, 2018, the last black bear sighting of the year.

Yellowstone officials predict bears will become more habituated to humans as the park welcomes more visitors.