From the Casper Star-Tribune:
While residents often grumble that the billionaires are running the millionaires out of scenic northwestern Wyoming, the animal kingdom has a similar scenario taking shape in the area:
The grizzlies are pushing the black bears out of the wild — and closer to humans.
At least, that is the theory of two wildlife biologists who were asked to explain the recent rise in human-black bear conflicts in that part of the state.
Steve Cain, wildlife biologist with Grand Teton National Park, and Eric Shorma, bear management officer with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, said the expanding grizzly bear population may be causing black bears to seek different turf to call their own.
“It could be the changes in bear populations themselves are forcing others into more developed areas,” Cain said Friday. “We have had several good years of good grizzly bear cub production. It makes sense that as grizzlies expand, some black bears may be looking for new places to live. Often, those places become the less desirable ones to live, like roadsides and developed places.”
The article continues.
I’m so glad to hear that the grizzly population is doing well. However, this article makes me think that soon we’re going to start hearing about how the black bears are being killed to protect people. I hope the bears figure out new places to migrate before this happens!