As grizzly bears continue expanding eastward outside of federal recovery zones, landowners are prepping for life with their new neighbors. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks is hosting a series of Grizzly Bear Educational Workshops in central Montana.
Nearly a dozen residents of Fergus County filtered into a Lewistown hotel conference room March 17th. Bear Management Specialist David Kemp led the workshop.
In recent years, grizzlies began moving back into their historical habitats in central Montana.
"A lot of these communities have never been around bears," Kemp said.
There were nine confirmed sightings of grizzlies in Fergus County and surrounding areas last year. Locals attended the workshop full of questions on the bears, their behaviors and how best to prepare for life with grizzlies.
Kemp shared key measures like securing food attractants and safeguarding sick animals to reduce the likelihood of bear-human conflicts. Attendees also learned how to report sightings to wildlife officials.
Sentiments in the room ranged from curious to frustrated, with some in the audience saying there are too many bears.
Kemp says he understands the frustration around these animals. But he also knows many communities want to learn how to successfully live with bears.
"Some people have been in these communities since they've been homesteaded and there hasn't been bears present since, you know, the middle of the 1800s prior to some folks even homesteading the county," Kemp said. "It’s a big deal for people."
The workshops follow a rule proposal in January by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service to keep the bears’ listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The comment period to respond to the proposal was recently extended to May 16.
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