Grizzly Bear Monitoring Efforts to be Reduced in North Idaho and Northeast Washington

Strategic Insights -

Federal grizzly bear managers plan to cut back on monitoring efforts in the mountains of North Idaho and northeast Washington, leaving a gap in long-term tracking of the threatened bears. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's biologist, Wayne Kasworm, has stated that his office lacks sufficient funds to maintain the summer staffing levels of the past several years. This reduction in effort will impact the monitoring of grizzly bear populations in the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak recovery zones, with Kasworm assigning two trapping and DNA teams to the Cabinet-Yaak and one of each to the Selkirks.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to reduce its monitoring efforts in North Idaho and northeast Washington due to budget constraints, affecting the tracking of grizzly bear populations in the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak recovery zones.
  • Wayne Kasworm, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist, will assign two trapping and DNA teams to the Cabinet-Yaak and one of each to the Selkirks, resulting in less attention being given to the Selkirk portion of the range in northeast Washington.
  • The reduction in effort does not completely eliminate grizzly bear monitoring in northeast Washington, as the U.S. Forest Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Kalispel Tribe will continue to gather DNA samples.
  • Bart George, wildlife program manager for the Kalispel Tribe's Natural Resources Department, will prioritize building hair snag corrals in areas like the Salmo-Priest Wilderness to continue gathering DNA data.
  • The reduction in monitoring efforts is part of a broader trend of budget cuts and staffing reductions affecting federal agencies involved in grizzly bear management.
  • The Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a new framework for managing grizzly bears, which would list the bears as protected but manage them as a single unit, shrinking the protected area and shifting management focus.
  • The exact outcome of the proposed rule and the future of grizzly bear management remains uncertain due to the absence of a confirmed director at the Fish and Wildlife Service and potential reorganization within the agency.
  • Funding for grizzly bear monitoring comes from various sources, including the U.S. Forest Service, private foundations, and the U.S. Border Patrol.
  • The Paul G. Allen Foundation has provided funding for grizzly genetics research, which is helping to offset funding cuts.

Statistics:

  • An estimated 50,000 grizzlies existed between the Pacific Ocean and the Great Plains, while today there are approximately 2,000 in the Lower 48, mostly in the two large populations in and around Glacier and Yellowstone national parks.
  • The minimum count suggests there are at least 57 bears in the U.S. portion of the Selkirks and at least 58 bears in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem.
  • The Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem is approximately twice the size of the Selkirk recovery zone, requiring more effort to maintain robust data collection.
  • The Fish and Wildlife Service has seen reductions in funding provided by both the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Border Patrol.
  • The Paul G. Allen Foundation's funding is good for multiple years and is helping to pay for DNA teams working in Wayne Kasworm's area.

Sources:

  • The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) - cited on May 16
  • Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee - mentioned as a coalition of state and federal government officials working toward grizzly bear recovery
  • Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak subcommittee - mentioned as a meeting of representatives from various agencies discussing grizzly bear management
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - responsible for managing the grizzly bear recovery program
  • U.S. Forest Service - provides funding for grizzly bear monitoring
  • Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife - assists in grizzly bear monitoring
  • Kalispel Tribe - participates in grizzly bear monitoring and has staff building hair snag corrals and rub sites
  • Paul G. Allen Foundation - provides funding for grizzly genetics research
  • U.S. Border Patrol - provides funding for monitoring in the Bog Creek area of North Idaho