SAS April Program

Sharing Landscapes: Managing Human Behavior to Protect Wild Bears
Why human attractants—not bears themselves—drive most conflicts, and how simple actions by residents and communities can keep bears wild.

Grizzly bears are moving back into landscapes they’ve been absent from for generations—just as people, homes, and recreation are expanding onto that same precious ground. What draws them into conflict is rarely the human/wild interface alone; it is most commonly our garbage, fruit trees, livestock, birdfeeders, and other human-related foods. In 2025, 74 grizzly bear deaths were recorded in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with the majority tied directly to conflicts with people. When bears gain access to calorie-rich attractants, they quickly learn that human areas mean food. Once that association forms, conflicts often repeat—and the bear usually pays the ultimate price. Preventable attractants are turning wild bears into management problems.

Bear Smart initiatives address the root cause: human behavior. By securing garbage, properly storing food and livestock feed, managing fruit trees, using electric fencing for high-risk attractants, and educating residents and visitors, communities can dramatically reduce the likelihood that bears become food-conditioned. These programs protect public safety, reduce property damage, and keep bears wild.

Everyone has a role to play. There are many actions we can take every day to support grizzly bears’ recovery right here where we live. Small actions taken by many people can determine whether a bear passes through a community—or becomes the next conflict statistic. Keeping bears wild starts with us.

Bio:

Evan Stout grew up in rural Maine, where forests, rivers, and rugged coastlines fostered a lifelong connection to wildlife and wild places. After graduating from the University of Maine, he guided across North America before relocating to Gardiner, Montana in 2015. Evan now owns and operates a wildlife safari company focused on Yellowstone National Park. He also leads Bear Awareness Gardiner, a community-based program he assumed leadership of in 2021, advancing grizzly bear conservation by reducing human–bear conflicts through education, attractant management, and collaborative partnerships across Park County and the Greater Yellowstone region.

For virtual attendance, please register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9045687013721949015. Attendees, whether in person or virtual, are encouraged to share their bird sightings at this and every monthly program. SAS monthly programs are free and open to the public, feature a special guest speaker the 2nd Monday of the month, September through May. For more information, contact Chris Nixon at programs@sacajaweaaudubon.org