Grizzly Bears Thrive In Montana

(AP)  The majestic grizzly bear, once king of the Western wilderness but threatened with extinction for a third of a century, has roared back in the U.S. state of Montana.

The finding, from a $4.8 million, five-year study of grizzly bear DNA criticized by Republican presidential candidate John McCain as wasteful government spending, could help ease restrictions on oil and gas drilling, logging and other development.

Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey announced Tuesday that there are approximately 765 bears in northwestern Montana near the Canadian border. That is the largest population of grizzly bears documented there in more than 30 years, and a sign that the species could be at long last rebounding.

The first-ever scientific census shattered earlier estimates that said there were at least 250-350 bears roaming the area. More recent data placed the minimum population at around 563 bears.

"There has never been any baseline information on population size," said Katherine Kendall, the lead researcher, who said the results speak for themselves. "There has been huge investments of time and money to recover (the grizzly bear) but they don't know whether their actions have been successful."

McCain, in stump speeches and in an advertisement earlier this year, erroneously said the study cost $3 million, adding "I don't know if it was a paternity issue or criminal, but it was a waste of money."

The study was backed by Montana ranchers, farmers and Republican leaders as a step toward taking the species off the endangered species list. Since 1975, the bear has been threatened in the lower 48 states, a status that bars hunting and restricts any kind of development that could diminish the bear's population.

"If it is going to remove it from the list, it is money well spent," said former Montana Gov. Judy Martz, a Republican, McCain supporter, and backer of the research. When asked about McCain's stance, Martz said "unless you live among these issues it is pretty hard to understand what is going on."

Former Sen. Conrad Burns, the chairman of McCain's campaign in Montana, helped secure the funding. It was paid in part through add-ons to the U.S. Geological Survey budget, and a $1.1 million earmark for the Forest Service in 2004.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is in charge of regulating endangered species, is currently reviewing the bears' status in Montana as part of a five-year review required by the Endangered Species Act. The study's results will help biologists determine whether the bear still needs federal protection, a conclusion due out early next year.

Chris Servheen, the Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for the service said the study "was an investment in the recovery of an icon of the American West, which is the grizzly bear."

"All the things people have been doing are making a difference," he said of the findings. "This gives us some feedback that the bears are doing really well."

[downsteamjim]

If these bears lived in a good democrat state, they would be voting for Obama.

[rushlimpdrug]

"Grizzly Bears Thrive In Montana"


If they had a better education they might
do better in a thriving economy based
state like New York.

[arohanui-2009]

McCain accepted $84 million of taxpayers dollars to run with pigs and become extinct soon. I would vote for bears any day and a platry $4.8 to ensure their survival.

[montanaman9]

It cracks me up to read some of these comments coming from city people who, more than likely, don''t even know where Montana is! This study was conducted here, where I live, on the doorstep of Glacier National Park. Grizzlies have an enormous home range, and they move about their territory as the top predator. It is not uncommon to come across a sow and her cubs while hiking the back country, and there is alot of back country here. In my experience, I think 756 is a very conservative number.

[helloall34]

765 bears. And thats good news? I think 765 people live on my block in New York. It breaks my heart that the great mammals have become things we show kids in books and zoos, but really, for all intents and purposes, don''''t exist in the wild.

Posted by kwameb at 10:49 PM : Sep 16, 2008
====================

Yea, well uhh... They don''t exactly live in condos.

[helloall34]

great.. so the republiCONs want to take them off the endagered species list... so they can be hunted and slaughtered right back into being ENDAGERED AGAIN!

Way to go McPalin and company.. way to go.. (sigh)

Posted by CANYOUTELLME at 03:55 PM : Sep 16, 2008
====================

If know absolutely nothing about how wildlife management services in our country work should really stay quite on issues like this. You really make yourselves look stupid trying to make intelligent comments on things you obviously know nothing about.

[cfin5]

Years ago I got a card for my Dad on Fathers Day,....the best one I''ve ever found. It said "Appalachian Grizzly Bear Artificial-Insemination Team" at the bottom of this picture of a bunch of cast and bandaged up hillbillies that got the living you know what kicked out of them,....all grinning like possums for the group picture......Grizzly She-Bears don''t like to be artificially inseminated! Oh the funny stuff card artists come up with. Must be a blast to have that job.

[airboatboy1]

Sarah, clean you rifle and book a helicoptor tour before things change!

[se sanders]

If 760 bears is all they can count, I wouldn''t say that the bear is not endangered. It may be recovering some but that number does not constitute a robust population.

[michaelm07]

Hmmm, bears taste good. Hunters already know this but the bear''s liver has so much vitamin A that it will kill you (fact) if you eat it, but the meat is tasty. For all you whining libs, I''d say if you want to keep an animal from extinction, put it on a menu and then they''ll be bred.

BTW, it was meant as a little bit of dark humor, lighten up all you neo-liberal cry babies.