Time is running out for North Cascades "ghost bears"
Joe Scott comments on Seattle Times book review on "Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight Over the Great Bear" by David Knibb. He thanks Mr. Knibb for alerting Washingtonians that we're about to lose the only remaining population of grizzly bears outside of the Rocky Mountains, the grizzly bears of the North Cascades. But he begs to differ on another point: opinion polls show people to be strongly in favor, not divided, in their support for recovery of the great bear.
When asked, people living nearby strongly supported recovery of grizzly bears in the North Cascades. Photo by Chris Weston
Today's Seattle Times featured an excellent book review by Tim McNulty of David Knibb's book "Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight Over the Great Bear." Thanks to Mr. Knibb for alerting Washingtonians that we're about to lose the only remaining population of grizzly bears outside of the Rocky Mountains.
To put that in the proper perspective, there were upwards of 50,000 grizzly bears in the west circa 1800. They lived nearly everywhere but the harshest deserts. There are currently around 1,200 remaining in the lower 48 states in mostly isolated populations with little genetic interchange. Indeed we haven't left a great deal of room for grizzly bears.
However, the North Cascades is one place that can still accommodate the great bear. The US government designated the vast public lands complex as an official grizzly bear recovery zone in 1992. At nearly 10,000 sq. miles it's the second largest, full of the plant foods that grizzly bears relish and isolated roadless terrain that provide them with security.
Again, as author and reviewer point out, politics not biology is the stumbling block to Cascades grizzly bear recovery. But whose politics? I would agree that some people are genuinely afraid of grizzly bears. But in my experience most are quietly respectful and believe that people and bears can co-exist, which is the intelligent attitude toward any wildlife species.
So there is one point the author makes with which I strongly disagree: that people are divided over whether to save grizzlies at all. Independent polls in rural communities within the grizzly recovery zone in Whatcom and Skagit counties consistently show that nearly 80% support recovery. That's hardly "divided."
The question we need to ask ourselves is: will we allow the agencies who are in charge of safeguarding our priceless wildlife heritage to neglect this magnificent animal into extinction, and hide behind us while they do it?
