MISSOULA – For an animal whose population barely tops 2,000, Montana’s grizzly bears hold an outsized presence in the psyche and politics of the Treasure
MISSOULA – For an animal whose population barely tops 2,000, Montana’s grizzly bears hold an outsized presence in the psyche and politics of the Treasure
University of Montana Assistant Professor Alex Metcalf with the Human Dimensions Lab recently began looking at why bears and other wildlife returned again and again to certain neighborhoods for food.
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IMAGE: One thing bears and people have in common? Their love of a tasty snack. Here, a black bear wanders in the Ninemile Valley of Montana. view more
Credit: Charlie Durrant
MISSOULA - In bear country, it s normal to find bruins munching down on temptations left out by humans - from a backyard apple tree to leftovers in the trash bin - but these encounters can cause trouble for humans and bears alike. One method to reduce human-bear conflicts is to secure attractants like garbage and livestock feed.
While effective when implemented, this approach requires people to change their behavior, and that makes things a little more complicated.
The Challenge of Getting Neighbors to Stop Attracting Bears
University of Montana Assistant Professor Alex Metcalf with the Human Dimensions Lab recently began looking at why bears and other wildlife returned again and again to certain neighborhoods for food.
I live in the Miller Creek area and one of my neighbors insisted on leaving food out for the deer that have made a home in my yard.
I reminded him that it is illegal to feed wild animals that might turn our neighborhood into a game trail, and his reaction was ‘what, really?’
Metcalf has been studying the communication, or lack thereof, between neighbors on the subject.