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 Technical Team recommendation regarding recent bear sightings in the North Cascades
November 7, 2011
In May 2011, the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Technical Team (NCGBTT) received a set of photos taken on October 21, 2010 in the North Cascades of a bear with features similar to those of a grizzly bear. The NCGBTT sent these photos to the USFWS Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator's office for evaluation. These photos were then sent to 15 grizzly bear biologists asking their opinion on the species of bear in the photos. The location where the photos were taken was not disclosed to this panel of biologists. Because of the limitations of the camera the photographs were primarily of a bear silhouette. Fourteen of 15 grizzly bear biologists believed the silhouette pictures looked like a grizzly bear. None thought the silhouette photos looked like a black bear. It was determined that the evidence provided by the reporting party, in conjunction with the opinion of the biologist panel, met the criteria for establishing this observation as a Class 1 grizzly bear sighting. Click here or on the link above to read the full report.
Overview
The North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Area is one of the largest contiguous blocks of Federal land remaining in the lower 48 states, encompassing approximately 9, 565 square miles within north central Washington. Stretching from the US-Canada border south to Interstate 90, it includes all of the North Cascades National Park, and most of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Wenatchee-Okanogan National Forests. About 85% of the recovery area is Federal land, 5% State land and about 10% private lands. Approximately 41% of the recovery area is within the NCNP or designated wilderness areas while over 70% has no motorized access. The North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Area is directly adjacent to the Canadian portion of the ecosystem. The Canadian government considers the bears in that portion of the ecosystem to be the most endangered grizzly bear population in Canada.
There are currently believed to be fewer than 20 grizzly bears in the U.S. portion of the ecosystem, with perhaps that many more in the Canadian portion. Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the grizzly bears in the U.S. portion are warranted for listing as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act, that change in status remains precluded by other priorities and they are listed as threatened. Because of their small numbers, however, they are widely believed to be the most at-risk grizzly bear population in the U.S. today.
The North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Chapter, completed in 1997, provides a shopping list of recovery activities for the many Federal and State agencies involved in grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades. The North Cascades Grizzly Bear Subcommittee of the Interagency Grizzly Bear committee meets twice yearly to coordinate grizzly bear recovery efforts. Substantial work has been done in identifying and mapping bear management zones, habitat types, and potential bear/human conflict areas and in providing bear-resistant food containers and other sanitation devices within the recovery area. The Subcommittee is noted for the diligence and innovation of their public outreach and education efforts and for their close coordination with counterparts working to recovery grizzly bears in the Canadian portion of the ecosystem.
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