The Conservation Biology Alternative for Grizzly Bear Population Restoration
in the Greater Salmon-Selway Region Central Idaho and Western Montana

XIV. COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q--Will grizzlies pose a threat to human safety in the Salmon-Selway area?

A--While there is always some risk while traveling in wilderness areas, bear attacks on humans are rare. Most people who die on wilderness trips are killed by other causes such as falls, drowning, lightning strikes, hypothermia, and falling trees. With simple precautions, travelers can minimize risks even further. Hundreds of thousands of visitors enjoy areas each year in grizzly country including Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. Moreover, in areas where big game hunting takes place, including the entire Salmon-Selway region, grizzly bears are more wary of humans.

Q--Are people allowed to defend themselves in the unlikely event of a bear attack?

A--Yes. The Endangered Species Act specifically allows for the killing of a threatened or endangered species in the defense of one?s own life or the lives of others.

Q--Will grizzly restoration reduce public access to forest lands?

A- Some minimal reductions in access will be required, yet no major trailheads will be affected. Most of the recovery area is already roadless, yet extensive access is guaranteed through access roads leading to wilderness trailheads. Most roads closed by this alternative are logging roads which are often closed to public use anyway.

Q--Will grizzly restoration mean new restrictions on hunting and trapping?

A--Grizzly bears will have no noticeable impact on big game populations. Hunting black bears with baits and dogs will be prohibited within a portion of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and areas just north of the Lochsa River.

Q--What if a bear leaves the recovery zone and enters a town, campsite, or private ranchlands?

A--Under this alternative, efforts to trap and relocate the bear must begin within 24 hours. If it continues to frequent areas of human habitation or livestock, itcan be removed from the ecosystem.

Q--How will this alternative affect other threatened and endangered species recovery programs in Idaho?

A---Protection of grizzly bear habitat will benefit other species such as salmon, bull trout, and gray wolves. By protecting habitat, the costs of multiple endangered species recovery programs can be reduced.

Q--Aren?t most local residents opposed to grizzly bear reintroduction?

A--A public opinion survey commissioned in June, 1995 by the Idaho Fish and Game Department showed that 66% of residents in Idaho and Montana who live near the reintroduction area support grizzly reintroduction. Nationally, 77% support grizzly reintroduction.

Q--What is Conservation Biology?

A--Conservation Biology is a relatively new scientific discipline dedicated to the conservation of biological diversity. It includes professionals in the fields of conservation genetics, landscape ecology, endangered species management, population viability analysis and reserve system design. Dr. Michael Soule?, a world-renowned scientist, founded the Society for Conservation Biology, which now has 5,000 members in the scientific community. The Society also publishes the professional scientific journal, Conservation Biology.

NEXT
Table of Contents