JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Bear biologists are refraining from assigning a single reason for a two-fold increase in the rate of natural grizzly bear deaths in the Yellowstone National Park region.
According to data from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 10 of the 16 grizzlies that died this summer have died of natural causes.
A major increase in natural mortality could have bearing on policy.
But biologists aren’t jumping to conclusions.
Grizzly Bear Study Team leader Frank van Manen tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide (http://bit.ly/Mxi7pu ) that biologists are seeing an aging of the grizzly population so it wouldn’t be surprising to see more bears dying from old age.
He says grizzly managers will assess the significance of the mortality trends after final numbers for the year are in.
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Information from: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com
