Grizzly Bears Thrive In Montana

Once-Endangered Species Rebounds From Brink Of Exctinction, New Study Finds

(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!

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.

[vranger]

"The moron McCain says we may need to be in Iraq for 100 more years."

No, the moron MTracy is mis-quoting McCain just like the DNS has lied about this statement for months. McCain said that we may wish to have a long term presence in Iraq similar to the one that protects South Korea. This is a big difference from the lies that Obama, Hilary, and other DNC mouthpieces have been spewing for months.

[aerhed]

Hey, I''m sure I''m greener than most of you urban dreamers. Yes I want grizzlies in MY mountains, but you would be amazed how 700 grizzlies can crowd up a wilderness. I can guarantee that if you encountered one within yelling range the hair would stand up all over you and you would peee one quick! come on out and hang with the grizz with the rest of us, then we''ll see just how close you want them.

[kwameb-2009]

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. Gorillas, lions, elephants, they have really become fairly tale animals

[txlatino]

I just hope that Palin does not get into her helicopter and start shooting the bears with her shot gun.

[cattlekate]

So McCain, in his attempt at sick humor, poked fun at a 3 million USD U.S. Geological Survey study which attempted to distinguish grizzly populations by DNA, and thus remove them from the ESA list.

This tells me how out of touch he is with science, and the USA''s premiere science agency, the USGS.

I really wish he had talked to the brilliant scientist lady who came up with this project, the project''s goals, and the underlying mystery of the bears'' migration and breeding.

But no - he had to incorporate it into a short quip for humor, which would appeal to those not attuned with biology and ecology, all for the benefit of his campaign.

Schmuck.

[questionnews]

In other news, Montana Park officials have noted a dramatic increase in the number of reports of missing & stolen picnic baskets in resent years. So far officials are at a loss as to why.

[hagan_arnold]

"I grew up in Western Montana. A few years ago I took my children to try to show them the trails I roamed as a child in the Mission Mountain Range and found all the trails closed off "for the preservation of the grizzly bear." I still wonder what is more important to preserve, grizzly bears or the freedom of the human race. Obviously, grizzly bears are more important to some."


Right, humans have taken over millions of miles of the earth, brought several species of animal to the brink of extinction or extinction, and may very well have changed the course of the climate on Earth all by ourselves not to mention having the weaponry to blow the place up a dozen times or so and you want more freedom for humans? I''m sorry your daughters couldn''t go down that trail but I''m also sorry that we humans have selfishly had our way with the planet.
There is something to be said for the native Americans who left the land as they found it. No they would never have gone to the Moon that way but if we ruin the planet, going to the Moon won''t mean much will it?

And God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. This means you have the responsibility to protect the animals.

[ibzjem]

I still wonder what is more important to preserve, grizzly bears or the freedom of the human race. Obviously, grizzly bears are more important to some.

Posted by Montananana at 04:06 PM : Sep 16, 2008

Uh, grizzly bears hardly impose restrictions to the "freedom" of the human race. We are to be stewards of the planet and it''s creatures. I''m sorry you can''t reminisce along the dusty old path, but we push those animals out of their natural habitat by invasion and construction, the least we can do is share the space.

[republic1776]

McCain was right...
There was no need to spend $ 4,800,000.00.
Although, common folk like Barack Hussein Obama made only 4,300,000.00 last year.