Yosemite National Park Bear Problems Increase

Associated Press
Fresno Bee - August 18, 2002

Encounters between bears and visitors to Yosemite National Park are increasing after three years of sharp declines.

Park officials say it's not the bears' fault. They blame careless visitors.

There have been 329 conflicts so far this year, up from 230 in 2001. In one week alone this month, bears raided 11 campsites and 14 cars searching for food.

The bears may be having trouble finding as many berries, insects and grasses as they usually eat, so they're taking advantage of people who store food improperly, said wildlife biologist Steve Thompson, director of the park's bear management program.

"We've had such low levels of incidents over the past couple years that people have let down their guard," he told The Fresno Bee. "They haven't been as careful in storing their food, and more people are leaving food in vehicles and leaving food out in campgrounds."

Bear incidents dropped 60 percent from 1998 to 2000, from 1,590 to 654, after the park began a public education program and installed bear-proof food lockers and food canisters. The park also posted warning signs and instructions on safe food storage in campgrounds, visitor centers and bathrooms.

The park even closed a campground last summer for the first time, so it could use part of the Rancheria Falls Campground to teach three black bear cubs to eat ants and berries instead of campers' food.

Park officials also started using noisemakers and beanbag guns last year to harass bears that enter campgrounds.

"Once they leave the developed area, we leave them alone so, hopefully, they get the message that it's just not worth the hassle," said Deb Schweizer, a member of the park's Bear Council. "But the message visitors need to get is, bear management and keeping bears wild is an ongoing process."

Instead, she said, "visitors maybe got the message that we solved the problem."

The park last week had a Bear Awareness Day, when Yosemite Valley visitors could study bear behavior and pick apples in an orchard that officials said may be attracting bears.

It's not just food that draw the animals, but cosmetics, suntan lotion, lip balm: "Anything that has a scent," Schweizer said.

Backpackers also are having more problems with bears this year, with park officials advising them to store food in bear-proof canisters that fit into a backpack and are available for rent in the park.

"Bears are wild animals. They are dangerous, and our visitors should keep them at great length," said Schweizer. "It's the responsibility of everyone who comes to the park."

Bear Activity Week of August 12

Bear activity remained high throughout Yosemite over the past week. Incidents were reported at the Wilderness Parking, Housekeeping Camp, Curry Village, the Pines Campgrounds, Camp 4, Backpackers Campground, Glacier Point and Little Yosemite Valley.

Bear Incidents	Last Week	This Year*	Last Year*
Campgrounds:	11	109	47
Parking lots:	14	96	63
Wilderness:	1	90	68
Other:	5	34	8
TOTAL:	31	329	186

* To date

Total property damage this year is $53,274. So far this year incidents are up 77%.

The actual number of incidents may be higher than the numbers above. These numbers reflect the reports received by the Wildlife Management Office as of this week.

•A minimum of 12 bears, positively identified either visually or with radio telemetry, was active in Yosemite Valley in the past week.

•A 24-hour continuous monitoring was conducted on Blue 14 (a sub adult female) on August 9. The bear started in the Yellow Pine Campground, then traveled on the south side of the Valley in talus to the Sentinel Bridge area and ended in the talus above the Chapel.

•Wildlife Conservation Society/Hornocker Wildlife Institute (WCS/HWI) researchers obtained radio telemetry points and/or visuals on 15 different bears over the past week.

•A minimum of 14 vehicles was broken into over the past week. Ten vehicles contained significant bear attractants, and six vehicles had a substantial amount of food inside which the bear was able to obtain. (Bear Council)