Status of Grizzly Bears in Northwest Montana

Yellowstone grizzly bears inhabit federal, state, tribal, and private lands, and long-term research requires careful coordination across governmental levels.

Bears rub on many objects other than trees. This clip shows a grizzly bear with two yearlings rubbing on a wooden bridge on a decommissioned forest road. Barbed wire is attached to the wooden bridge beams and the bear rub tree next to the bridge to collect bear hair. This footage is still photos from a remote camera that have been stitched together in sequence.

Bears rub on many objects other than trees. This clip shows a grizzly bear rubbing on a wooden bridge on a decommissioned forest road. Barbed wire is attached to the wodden bridge beams and the bear rub tree next to the bridge to collect bear hair. This footage is still photos from a remote camera that have been stitched together in sequence.

The size and distribution of grizzly bear populations in northwest Montana has just been released by the USGS, so research biologist Kate Kendall bring us up to speed on the findings.

Grizzly bear and her cub visit a bear hair trap in Glacier National Park. The bear leaves hair samples snagged on the barbed wire as it enters and exits the site. Both bears vigorously rub in the lure pile which is a pile forest debris that had a liquid scent lure poured on it.

This is two video clips captured at the same site from two different angles. The rub trees are on one side of the trail and the excavated log is on the other side. Bears that rub on one or more of the trees often visit the log as well.

A wolf feeds on a road-killed elk carcass in the morning. A grizzly bear with two cubs feeds on the carcass in the evening. A grizzly bear will chuff and pop its jaw when it feels threatened. Sometimes it will also charge at the threat, usually veering off or stopping short -- a bluff charge.

Grizzly bear sniffs and rubs on trees regularly used by bears in Glacier National Park then visits a log off screen and returns to the trees to rub again.

Grizzly bear vigorously rubbing on a tree regularly used by bears in Glacier National Park.

Grizzly bear rubbing, laying on, and excavating a decaying tree in Glacier National Park. The log shows long-term use by bears.

Grizzly bear vigorously rubbing on a natural marking tree in Glacier NP, Montana. Rubbing is a form of chemical communication. DNA analysis of hair collected from natural rub trees is used to identify individual bears and census the population.

Grizzly bear paws and licks one of our remote cameras and eventually pushes it off the tree. The camera container had a screw top lid that moves as the bear paws at it; the camera was not damaged (Make sure you have your sound on for this).

Grizzly bear goes under barbed wire into a hair snag station, sniffs scent lure pile, and leaves. DNA analysis of hair deposited on the barbs identifies the bear for a study of bear population size.

Grizzly bear climbs over barbed wire at a hair snag station near Glacier NP, Montana. DNA analysis of bear hair is used to identify individuals as part of study to determine the size of the bear population.