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

VII. TRANSLOCATION OF GRIZZLY BEARS

In order to supplement the natural inmigration of grizzly bears and potentially hasten the restoration process, this alternative calls for human-aided translocation of grizzly bears from other bear populations into the population recovery area. These translocations would only take place pending the results of a one year study by the Scientific Committee established in Section 10 which will determine if source bears are available from unthreatened, healthy bear populations in areas with similar habitat conditions as those in the population recovery area. This analysis shall also determine the ideal number of bears to be translocated.

(a)Potential Source Areas for Translocations--At the current time, all grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. None of the U.S. populations outside of Alaska have been delisted pursuant to the Endangered Species Act and recent court rulings indicate the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak grizzly populations may be uplisted from threatened to endangered status. Therefore, it is unlikely that any of the grizzly bear populations in the lower 48 states can be a source of bears for translocation to the Salmon-Selway region.

The State of Alaska is home to thousands of grizzly bears and they are not listed as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. However, these bears have evolved under very different habitat and climatic conditions than those located in the population recovery zone. The bear foods found in many parts of Alaska are very different from those in the population recovery zone. For these reasons Alaskan bears are unsuitable for translocation to the Salmon-Selway region.

Northwest Canada and particularly the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory are home to large numbers of grizzly bears. However, this is the land of the barren ground grizzly, whose habitat is far different than the Salmon-Selway region. These bears are also unsuitable for translocation to the Salmon-Selway region.

Southeastern British Columbia has several grizzly bear populations which exist in habitat conditions most similar to those in the Salmon-Selway region. Grizzly bears in this area appear to be the most suitable for translocation. Wildlife management officials in British Columbia have stated that grizzly bears from this region will be made available for translocation if requested by U.S. officials (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1995). British Columbia wildlife officials have previously provided grizzly bears for translocation to the Cabinet Mountains in northwest Montana.

However, there is dispute over the viability of these populations. While grizzly bears are still hunted in this area, biologists and conservationists in Canada have spoken against the hunting season, particularly in the British Columbia portion of the Selkirk Mountains. Grizzly population estimates throughout southeastern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta are controversial and have been challenged by independent grizzly bear researchers.

(b) Feasibility Study --The Scientific Committee formed under Section 10 of this alternative will conduct a two-part feasibility analysis of translocating grizzly bears from southeastern British Columbia or southwest Alberta into the Salmon- Selway region. This analysis shall be completed no later than one year from the date of signing the Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement and shall be included in the first Annual Report of the Scientific Committee.

(1) In the first part of the study, the Scientific Committee shall conduct an analysis of grizzly bear population data supplied by federal and provincial wildlife management agencies in Canada as well as independent biologists and conservationists from British Columbia and Alberta. This population analysis shall determine if there are any biologically unthreatened grizzly bear populations that can serve as a source of grizzly bears for translocation. Current and future habitat conditions shall be considered. The population analysis shall consider discreet populations of grizzly bears as opposed to province-wide population estimates. Under this alternative, bears may be translocated only from unthreatened populations, as determined by the Scientific Committee analysis.

(2) The second part of the study shall review translocation records from other grizzly bear population areas in an effort to identify the best available techniques, predict the potential success of translocating grizzly bears into the Salmon-Selway region and identify problems in order to reduce conflicts that may impede potential success. The Scientific Committee shall also review available data from the population recovery zone to determine potential release sites for translocated bears. This analysis may also consider possible means of encouraging translocated bears to remain in the general area of the release site, in order to acclimatize the bears to their new surroundings. Included in this analysis will be the ideal number of bears to be translocated and whether to translocate this number all in one season, or spread the translocations over several years.

(c) Target Date for Translocations--If the Scientific Committee analysis identifies suitable source bears for translocation(s), the first releases would take place in the spring and summer of 1998.

(d) Initial Release Sites--Unless the Scientific Committee analysis recommends otherwise, the first translocations shall have release sites which are concentrated in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and the roadless areas immediately to the north of the Lochsa River (see Figure 7). Concentrating the release sites in the Selway-Bitterroot-Lochsa area serves several purposes. Vegetation in this area was initially analyzed by Scaggs (1979) and found to be excellent habitat for grizzly bears. More recently the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service habitat analysis of this area found it to contain high quality grizzly bear habitat (Davis and Butterfield 1991) confirming earlier analyses by Scaggs (1979) and Davis et al. (1985) suggesting the Selway-Bitterroot area could support a population of grizzly bears. Thus, data already exist to show that this area is capable of supporting a grizzly bear population. This region also contained the most sighting reports of grizzly bears documented in reports in the Clearwater National Forest (Melquist 1985). Thus, concentrating releases in this area provides more promising prospects for reproductive activity between the translocated bears and the existing grizzly bears in this area as well as naturally inmigrating bears. Natural inmigration is most likely to come from areas to the north of the population recovery zone and into this portion of the recovery zone. This area is also well within the population recovery area, buffering the translocated bears from intensively developed and inhabited areas.

Moreover, by concentrating releases in the Selway-Bitterroot-Lochsa area, efforts at population reestablishment can move forward while the remainder of the population recovery area is being analyzed for its habitat capability and carrying capacity for bears.

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