Return of the Grizzly: Sharing the Range with Yellowstone's Top Predator

by Cat Urbigkit

Overview

The Yellowstone grizzly population has grown from an estimated 136 bears when first granted federal protection as a threatened species to as many as 1,000 grizzlies in a tri-state region today. No longer limited to remote wilderness areas, grizzlies now roam throughout the region—in state parks, school playgrounds, residential subdivisions, on farms and ranches, and in towns and cities throughout the region.
Return of the Grizzly tells the story of the successful effort to recover this large carnivore, the policy changes and disputes between bear managers and bear advocates, and for the first time, provides insight to what recovery means for the people who now live with grizzlies across a broad landscape. From cowboys on horseback chased by a charging grizzly, and grizzlies claiming game animals downed by human hunters, to the numerous self-defense killing of grizzlies that occur each year, the manuscript examines increases in conflicts and human fatalities caused by grizzlies in this ecosystem inhabited by humans who live there year-round. Human–bear interactions, grizzly attacks and deaths, avoiding attacks, effects on agriculture, wildlife protesters, the consequences of bear habituation, and more are all covered.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510727472
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	01/01/2019
Pages:	184
Sales rank:	1,101,267
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Cat Urbigkit is an award-winning author and photographer with three adult nonfiction titles and seven nonfiction photo essays for children in print. A former reporter and newspaper owner, she is editor and co-owner of The Shepherd magazine, a national sheep and goat industry publication. She has raised and worked with livestock guardian dogs in large carnivore country for decades, and she has coauthored several papers about their use. She resides in Pinedale, Wyoming.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Human Prey 1

Chapter 2 Bears Rebound 14

Chapter 3 The Upper Green 25

Chapter 4 Seasonal Food Availability 39

Chapter 5 Frustrations Mount 44

Chapter 6 Hunting Attractants 51

Chapter 7 Public Fracas 60

Chapter 8 Thoman Sheep 84

Chapter 9 Multiple Victims 91

Chapter 10 Deadly Summer 97

Chapter 11 Removing Problem Bears 102

Chapter 12 Bizarre Encounters 110

Chapter 13 The Problem with Habituation 123

Chapter 14 Sheep Station 131

Chapter 15 Defining Success 136

Chapter 16 Changing Landscape 140

Chapter 17 Delisting Do-Over 146

Chapter 18 An Uneasy Co-Existence 153

Acknowledgments 163

Appendix A Meeting the Recovery Criteria 164

Appendix B Yellowstone Grizzly Data 166

Acronyms 167

Endnotes 168

Editorial Reviews

"A fascinating, smooth narrative of the struggle for co-existence between two predators in Yellowstone National Park. Cat Urbigkit explores the frustrating efforts of dedicated people, often working in the presence of extreme danger, as they attempt to insure that the huge grizzly, ranchers and foolish tourists stay safe. With an impressive presentation of grizzly bear photos and maps, Return of the Grizzly is highly recommended to all who enjoy wilderness adventure and seek knowledge about our wild creatures." —Forrest Bryant Johnson, author of Trooper: The Bobcat Who Came in from the Wild

"A fascinating, smooth narrative of the struggle for co-existence between two predators in Yellowstone National Park. Cat Urbigkit explores the frustrating efforts of dedicated people, often working in the presence of extreme danger, as they attempt to insure that the huge grizzly, ranchers and foolish tourists stay safe. With an impressive presentation of grizzly bear photos and maps, Return of the Grizzly is highly recommended to all who enjoy wilderness adventure and seek knowledge about our wild creatures." —Forrest Bryant Johnson, author of Trooper: The Bobcat Who Came in from the Wild

From the Publisher