Black Bear Management Trends

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Preservation of a Healthy Black Bear Population in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range through Interagency Cooperation , at the Yosemite Association nature notes page, has this intro:

"Keeping one step ahead of bears intent on getting your food is a job now being carried out cooperatively by several Sierra land management agencies. Their goal is to get bears out foraging for roots and grubs, rather than your backpack or ice chest. The guiding principle of the Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group is to never underestimate an animal you can teach to ride a bicycle..."

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2009 Bear Management Tally: Yosemite’s Interdivisional Bear Team accomplished: 210 night patrols; 38,573 vehicle inspections; and 4,607 campsite inspections. The staff of 18 (employees/interns/volunteers) mitigated 7,862 food storage violations; wrote 1,954 food storage warnings and gave 1,065 verbal warnings; and impounded food 54 times. They set 239 bear traps; captured 21 individual bears; radio collared 12 bears; and received 25 reports of bears hit by vehicles (5 confirmed deaths). Bear activity peaked in August, with 124 incidents. In more than 535 total incidents, financial damage amounted to more than $80,000, ­half to cars in parking lots.

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"From 2001 to 2007 bears broke into 908 vehicles at the following rates: minivan (26.0%), sport–utility vehicle (22.5%), small car (17.1%), sedan (13.7%), truck (11.9%), van (4.2%), sports car (1.7%), coupe (1.7%), and station wagon (1.4%). Only use of minivans (29%) during 2004–2005 was significantly higher than expected (7%). We discuss several competing hypotheses about why bears selected minivans.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/upload/bear-article.pdf

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After the first link to an interagency report, and a bear incidents summary from 2004 and 2003, this rest of this page has Park Service reports, in chronological order, from July, 2003; April 1, 2003; January 16, 2003; October 29, 2002; October 28, 1998 and November 18, 1997.

Yosemite National Park 2004 Black Bear Activity Report

Damage reports in the frontcountry: 600

Damage reports in parking areas: 285

Damage reports in campgrounds: 242

Damage reports in other areas: 73

Total number of vehicles damaged: 300

Damage reports in the backcountry: 121

People injured: 4

Bears captured: 16 (12 individuals)

Bears relocated: 3

Bears killed for management reasons: 3 (includes euthanasia of one sick bear)

Bears injured by vehicles: 16

Bears killed by vehicles: 4

(This number only includes confirmed fatalities. Includes one bear killed on Highway 140 outside the park.)

Total number of bear incidents: 721

Total amount of property damage: $108,657

These numbers reflect only those incidents that were reported. Actual numbers of damage reports and bears injured or killed by vehicles are higher. Please report all bear incidents and sightings by calling the Save a Bear hotline at 209/372-0322. Help keep Yosemite's bears wild by storing your food properly!

Yosemite National Park summary of bear incidents and bear activity in 2003

Total Bear Incidents: 416

Total Property Damage: $51,359

Incidents / Damage

Parking Lots 105 $35,759

Campgrounds 111 $4614

Wilderness 138 $6274

Other* 62 $4712 *Tent Camps, Businesses, Residences, Picnic Areas, Climbing Routes

Valley District 248 $40,531

El Portal District 12 $2945

Tuolumne Area 17 $1559

Big Oak Flat 1 $50

Backcountry 138 $6274

#Vehicle Break-ins (Year 2003) 104 incidents $39,841 damage

#Vehicle Break-ins (Year 2002) 176 incidents $74,975 damage

#Vehicle Break-ins (Year 2001) 80 incidents $27,878 damage

#Vehicle Break-ins (Year 2000) 306 incidents $113,331 damage

Compared to 2002, bear incidents (559) are down by 25% and damage ($85,303) is down by 40%.

Compared to year 2001, bear incidents (230) are up by 81% and damage ($32,303) is up by 59%.

Compared to 2000, bear incidents (654) are down by 36% and damage ($126,192) is down by 59%.

Compared to 1998, bear incidents (1584) are down by 74% and damage ($659,569) is down by 92%.

Captures: 19 (9 individual bears)

Adult females w/ cubs: 2

Cubs captured: 2

Yearling males: 2

Adult males: 3

Recaptures: 10

Radio Collared: 2

Relocated: 5

# killed for management reasons: 1

Bears vs. Vehicles: 14 (4 confirmed deaths) Includes bear killed on HWY 140 outside park boundary

Human injuries caused by bears: 2

From Yosemite National Park The Bear Facts (July 13 - July 19, 2003)

There are currently 19 black bears wearing radio collars in Yosemite. Last week, five radio collar signals were detected in the Valley.

Six vehicles were damaged by a bear in the Curry Village area last week, all vehicles contained food.

A large untagged/uncollared bear has been seen in Upper Pines and the Wilderness Lot, checking for improperly latched food storage lockers. Visitors have reported this bear going from site to site, banging on the locker latch. Unfortunately, the bear obtained food on at least three occasions from improperly latched lockers.

Several bears continue to obtain food from backpackers in the Little Yosemite Valley area, including the Sunrise Creek and Moraine Dome area. One bear has learned to snatch backpacks containing food from unsuspecting hikers who have left their packs on the ground while pumping water or using the restroom. Another bear has learned to intimidate campers, snatching their open bear canisters if they show signs of backing down. It is important for backpackers and hikers to always be aware of their surroundings and to watch for sneaky bears.

Let us know if you see a bear, no matter where it is or what it's doing. Call 209/372-0322.

Note: A bear incident occurs when a bear causes a monetary loss to a person--that is, if the bear causes property damage or obtains food. Bear incidents also include cases of bears causing injury to a person (which are fairly uncommon).

Yosemite NP Daily Report 1 April 2003

PARK RESOURCES

Spring is in the Bear: How to Protect Your Food and Yosemite National Park's Bears

As black bears come out of hibernation this spring, they will consume over 4000 calories a day. Some bears continue to lose weight even after emerging from their winter dens and will spend most of their time looking for food. In the springtime, bears will mostly forage on grasses and forbs. Bears will survive on grasses until the more nutritious and energy-rich berries become ripe. Bears are opportunistic and will eat almost anything, including human food and trash. They are naturally curious and have a sense of smell that is better than any other animal. Bears can even smell canned food kept inside the trunk of a vehicle. That is why Yosemite National Park's black bears have learned to obtain human food in campgrounds and parking lots. They often lose their fear of humans as they get into improperly stored human food or trash that is improperly disposed of. Bears that obtain human food and garbage will continue to seek it out, sometimes showing aggressive behavior toward people while searching for food. These bears have become habituated and may no longer display the natural, wild behavior that is quintessential to seeing wildlife, like bears, in national parks.

By taking a few simple precautions, visitors can ensure that their food does not become part of the bears' diets. "Food" includes any item with a scent, regardless of packaging. This may include items such as canned goods, bottles, drinks, soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, perfumes, trash, and even empty ice chests. Visitors staying in hotel rooms should bring all food items into their rooms. If staying in campgrounds, tent cabins, and in Housekeeping Camp, store food in the food storage lockers provided. Day use visitors may leave food in vehicles during daylight hours, but must not store food in vehicles after dark.

For backpackers and climbers heading into the wilderness, bear-resistant food containers are available for rent. These containers are the most effective way to protect bears from your food and are highly recommended. In some areas of the wilderness, National Park Service -approved bear-resistant food containers are required. Bears have quickly learned that containers are not worth investigating, even though they smell like food.

Although visitors need to take precautions while staying in bear habitat, the likelihood of seeing bears in the park remains low. Bears, in their natural state, are shy and tend to avoid human contact. They are on a constant quest for food, so it may be that visitors see the results of bear activity, but never actually see the bear. Habituated bears will wait for the right opportunity, after visitors have gone to sleep for the night, to obtain food from cars and campsites. As Yosemite's black bears come out of hibernation, their hunger will lead them in search of the calories they need to regain the weight they lost in the winter. Visitors to the park, by taking a few basic precautions, can help ensure that when and if they see a bear in Yosemite, it will be a wild bear.

From the Yosemite National Park Daily Report January 16, 2003.

Summary of Bear Incidents and Bear Activity in 2002

Total Bear Incidents: 559

Total Property Damage: $85,303

Breakdown of Incidents and Damage Amounts:

(Incidents / Damage)

Parking Lots 175 / $71,144

Campgrounds 190 / $7118

Wilderness 130 / $3974

Other* 64 / $3067

*Tent Camps, Businesses, Residences, Picnic Areas, Climbing Routes

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Valley District 406 / $79,906

El Portal District 6 / $103

Tuolumne Area 13 / $1,220

Glacier Point 4 / $100

Backcountry 130 / $3,974

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#Vehicle Break-ins (Year 2002)

164 incidents / $70,897 damage

#Vehicle Break-ins (Year 2001)

80 incidents / $27,878 damage

#Vehicle Break-ins (Year 2000)

306 incidents / $113,331 damage

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Compared to year 2001, bear incidents (230) are up by 143% and damage ($32,303) is up by 164%.

Compared to 2000, bear incidents (654) are down by 15% and damage ($126,192) is down by 32%.

Compared to 1998, bear incidents (1584) are down by 65% and damage ($659,569) is down by 87%.

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Captures: 35

Radio Collared: 8

Relocated: 5

# killed for management reasons: 1

Bears vs. Vehicles: 12 (4 confirmed deaths)

Human injuries caused by bears: 0

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Yosemite Valley Bear Captures (16 total)

Subadult females: 2

Adult females w/o cubs: 3

Adult females w/ cubs: 0

Cubs captured: 1

Yearling males: 1

Adult males: 9

Recaptures: 16

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Outside of Valley Bear Captures (2 total)

Yearling females: 1

Subadult males: 1

Recaptures: 1

Two cubs (#3824 and #2090) captured in 2001 and taken to the Idaho Rehabilitation Center were returned to the park in January 2002. They were placed in a den near Tamarack Creek and have not been included in the statistics above. (D.Schweizer)

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Yosemite National Park News Release

October 29, 2002

For Immediate Release

Yosemite National Park Studies Black Bear Management Trends

Yosemite National Park experienced a dramatic decrease in human-bear incidents between 1998 and 2001, going from 1584 incidents to 230 incidents. However, human-bear incidents have increased to 539 to date in 2002.

Due to concerns about the upward trend this year, Yosemite National Park's Bear Council is exploring changing trends in the number of human-bear incidents over the past five years. The council wants to better understand how Yosemite's black bears interact with visitors and employees and how they respond to bear management practices.

The Yosemite Bear Council is composed of National Park Service employees representing each division and park partners such as Yosemite Association and Yosemite Concessions Services Corporation. The council works cooperatively to reduce human-bear conflicts and to maintain a naturally functioning population of black bears in Yosemite National Park.

Human-bear incidents reached a peak in 1998 with 1,584 incidents. The Yosemite Bear Council established the Wild Bear Project in 1999 to respond to increasing human-bear interactions.

The Yosemite Bear Council implemented multiple programs to decrease the number of incidents and to maintain a population of bears that were not habituated to humans or their food. A public education campaign informed park visitors and employees of how to behave in bear habitat and how to properly store food in Yosemite National Park. Bear proof food storage lockers and canisters were made available to visitors to help them properly store their food. Bear management techniques such as hazing bears away from developed areas like campgrounds have also been extensively used.

The Wild Bear Project has seen a great deal of improvement in human-bear interactions since it was established. Compared to 1998, incidents decreased by 87% in 2001 with only 230 human-bear incidents reported.

However, incidents have increased again in 2002 from the 2001 numbers. To date, 539 incidents have occurred in Yosemite National Park in 2002. While these numbers indicate success through The Wild Bear Project since 1999, the Yosemite Bear Council is concerned about increasing incidents in the park.

The Bear Council is exploring all options for why incidents are on the rise. The availability of black bears' natural food sources this year, their ability to adapt to our wildlife management practices, and the possibility that park visitors need to be reminded that keeping bears wild is a long-term project that needs their continued diligence are all possibilities.

Yosemite National Park is working with the Wildlife Conservation Society/Hornocker Wildlife Institute researchers to better understand the habits of both black bears and how visitors perceive and understand the goals of bear management in the park. Through this research, the Yosemite Bear Council hopes to be able to further adapt The Wild Bear Project to have continued success. Yosemite National Park needs to have continued support from visitors to the park. Through proper food storage and by respecting bears as wild animals, Yosemite's black bears will become truly wild, beautiful bears."

-NPS- October 28, 1998

"YOSEMITE BREAKS RECORD FOR BEAR DAMAGE

Bear-human conflicts are continuing in Yosemite National Park after reaching record levels this summer. Property damage caused by black bears has exceeded $595,000 this calendar year with over 1025 vehicles broken into by bears. In 1997, approximately 900 cars were damaged by bears.

Wildlife biologists attribute the problem to the availability of human food. Park regulations require visitors to store all food and scented items in bear-proof metal food storage boxes when staying in park campgrounds or tent cabins. These boxes are located in all park campgrounds as well as some parking areas and trailheads. Once bears repeatedly get human food, they may become unnaturally aggressive. Bears that have become dangerous must be destroyed.

Three bears have been euthanized this year. Once all other courses of action have been exhausted, such as relocation, destructive bears are killed as a last resort. These animals had been regularly breaking into vehicles which did not contain food and had been charging at people.

Conflict between humans and bears date back to the 1920's. The National Park Service has investigated different methods to reduce these interactions. This year, park staff and volunteers removed apples from non-native apple orchards. These orchards draw bears into Yosemite Valley and provide them with an unnatural food source.

Ultimately, the solution is to increase public education, expand food storage facilities, and step up enforcement of food storage regulations. These efforts, coupled with the help of the public, will decrease the availability of all unnatural food sources."

November 18, 1997

"Property damage caused by black bears has exceeded $500,000 this calendar year in Yosemite National Park. Over half the damage has been reported in Curry Village in the east end of Yosemite Valley. Wildlife biologists attribute the problem to the failure of some visitors to follow the park's food storage guidelines, a lack of proper food storage facilities in the Curry Village area, and to an abundant apple crop from orchards planted by early Yosemite Valley settlers.

Once bears get human food, they continue to seek it out. When their instinctive fear of people fades, these unnaturally aggressive, destructive bears must be destroyed. One evening earlier this fall fourteen separate bears were spotted in the Curry Village parking area. Four bears have been euthanized in recent weeks as a last resort. These animals had been regularly breaking into vehicles which did not contain food and had been charging at people. Yosemite National Park Deputy Superintendent Hal Grovert noted "This action is regrettable. It certainly goes against the mission and philosophy of the National Park Service". "

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Yosemite warns: "Improper food storage may result in impoundment of your food or car, a fine of up to $5,000, and/or revocation of your camping permit."

How bears break into cars, what to do if you see a bear and more is at Bears

Some practicalities are at: Using a campsite food storage locker

A good way to wake up the whole campground is to set your car alarm. Then if a curious animal or clumsy person bumps the vehicle at night you've succeeded. (The alarm won't keep bears out of your vehicle).

Tent walls are thin. You can wake up everybody in the vicinity when you want to get into your car and you use the keyless (remote) door opener and the car makes the usual loud beep. People don't think to just use the key to open the door or don't know that if you look in the owner's manual you can find a way to disable the beep.

For a laugh, go to: Camping Blunders