Aversive conditioning

Glacier resumes bear plan

With backing from the Glacier Fund, an experimental behavior conditioning effort will continue for a grizzly bear in Glacier National Park this summer.

The Glacier Fund, one of the park's nonprofit partners, provided about $12,000 for the effort, and the organization intends to provide support for a series of other grizzly bear research projects in the park during the next few years.

The "aversive conditioning" project is a continuation of work done last year to discourage a female grizzly and her two cubs from frequenting trails and campgrounds in the Two Medicine Valley. The radio-collared bear, now without cubs, has returned to the area this summer, prompting closures of Oldman Lake and Morning Star campgrounds.

Aversive conditioning involves the use of Karelian bear dogs, cracker shells, beanbag rounds and rubber bullets to haze bears away from areas used by humans.

John Waller, a Glacier wildlife biologist, said last year's efforts appeared to be successful, but park managers wanted a 10-day effort this summer to ensure that the bear does not resume its behavior.

"It's a very difficult thing to try to measure, because you're basically dealing with animal training," he said. "This one seemed to give us every indication that she's trainable. She seemed to be kind of a soft bear. She didn't respond aggressively, and she didn't try to find her way around the crews."

Crews with the Utah-based Wind River Bear Institute is assisting in the effort. Because dogs aren't allowed in the park's backcountry areas, the project requires approval from Glacier Superintendent Mick Holm.

The park did not have enough money to pay for the work this year, Waller said.

"It was basically an emergency funding request," he said, referring to the Glacier Fund, which typically provides funding for specific projects well in advance of the actual work.

Glacier has the highest density of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states.

The park has identified about 10 research projects that could contribute to reducing the potential for conflict between grizzlies and humans. But the projects collectively are estimated to cost from $200,000 to $250,000 during the next three to five years.

To help fund such projects, the Glacier Fund works with private donors and raises money through custom license plate sales and a "trees of remembrance" program.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.