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USGS Grizzly Bear Biologist Receives Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame Honors

On March 22, USGS Supervisory Wildlife Biologist Mark Haroldson will be inducted into the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame for his contributions to understanding grizzly bear biology, ecology, and conservation. 

Image of Mark Haroldson holding a bear.

Mark first began working with grizzly bears in 1976. Since 1984, he has worked in various capacities for the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). The IGBST is an interdisciplinary group of scientists responsible for monitoring the status and trend of the grizzly bear population in the GYE, and helps determine patterns of habitat use by bears and the relationship of land management activities to the welfare of the bear population.

Mark’s work with the IGBST has been integral to its success. His dedication to developing safe and humane capture and immobilization techniques for grizzly bears are used not only by the team, but by managers and researchers around the world. His published portfolio on grizzly bears spans subjects such as grizzly bear diet, estimating population size and distribution, and genetic analyses. His current research is focused on mortality and population trend of grizzly bears in the GYE.

According to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department website, "The primary purpose of the Hall of Fame is to honor those individuals, both living and posthumously, who have made significant, lasting lifetime contributions to the conservation of Wyoming's outdoor heritage. Each year, recognition will be given to people who have worked consistently over many years to conserve Wyoming's natural resources through volunteer services, environmental restoration, educational activities, audio/visual and written media, the arts, and political and individual leadership. Another goal of the Hall of Fame is to educate the public about, and promote the significance of, Wyoming's rich outdoor heritage. Inductees will be solid role models for today's youth."

To date, 56 people have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Among others, Mark will join the ranks of Teddy Roosevelt, Aven Nelson (a nationally prominent botanist and served as the President of the University of Wyoming), Frank and John Craighead, George Bird Grinnel, and Olaus, and Mardy Murie. 

Mark will receive the award at a ceremony in Cody, Wyoming on Friday. 

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