BBCW Talk: Recovery of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear

The Biology, Science, and Management Behind the Remarkable Recovery of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear

By Frank T. van Manen

Join us for our May Lunchtime Expedition, The Biology, Science, and Management Behind the Remarkable Recovery of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear, presented by Frank T. van Manen. The in-person talk takes place in the Center’s Coe Auditorium, with a virtual option available.

If you prefer to join us online, you may register in advance via Zoom webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qEG5MkPAS82NvxFN2tqxxQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. By registering, your e-mail address will be added to our list for updates on upcoming Lunchtime Expedition and Draper After Dark speakers. You can unsubscribe from that list at any time, either by clicking “Unsubscribe” at the bottom of those e-mails or by contacting coreya@centerofthewest.org.

About the presentation

Few animals symbolize the wildness of the American West more than the grizzly bear. The fate of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region was similar to that of large predator species worldwide, with indiscriminate killing in the 1800s and into the mid-1900s resulting in severe population declines and range contraction. The path to recovery of the Yellowstone grizzly bear population started 50 years ago, at the controversial intersection of science, policy, and public opinion. Concerted and visionary conservation efforts reversed the declining population trends of the late 1970s.

Based on long-term data collected by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST), we explore the history, current status, and future of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. These data provide important insights into factors that contributed to the recovery, the resilience of this iconic animal, and the challenges that come with conservation success.