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No charges will be laid for the deaths of four grizzly bears in North Fork that entered a trailer used to store trash on private property, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 1 spokesperson Dillon Tabish said. .
Tabish noted that state law prohibits “deliberately or knowingly attracting cloven-hoofed ungulates, bears, pumas or wild turkeys with additional food attractants.”
But in this case, there was no intention of attracting bears, people were just storing trash – albeit carelessly.
The law also requires a warning before being charged.
“After receiving a previous warning, negligently failing to store the additional food attractants properly and allowing all cloven-hoofed ungulates, bears, pumas or wild turkeys to access the additional food attractants,” the law said.
Earlier this month, FWP grizzly management specialist Tim Manley slaughtered a grizzly sow named Monica and her three cubs after the bears entered a trailer with trash and also crept into d ‘other places.
Monica was an iconic bear in the North Fork community and her death was viewed as an avoidable tragedy by many North Forkers.
Tabish said if a county food storage order had been in effect, or if the incident had taken place on state or federal lands, which have food storage orders, charges likely could have been laid.
In British Columbia, Canada, they have been working to create “Bear Smart” communities since the 1990s. Through education, outreach and grants, the Bear Smart Society is helping communities create a comprehensive plan for secure things like trash and other attractants and to make a concerted effort to use non-lethal means to fog and control bears.
Currently, British Columbia has nine recognized Bear Smart communities, including Kamloops, Squamish, Lions Bay, Whistler, Port Alberni, Naramata, New Denver, Coquitlam and Port Hardy, according to the Company’s website.
The North Fork would be an ideal model in the United States, noted Tabish, who is also a member of the Grizzly Bear Interagency Committee.
To that end, the North Fork community is also looking for ways to address the issue.
“Two local nonprofits, the North Fork Landowners Association and the North Fork Preservation Association, will work together, with agency partners, to help improve food and garbage storage in the area as well as to secure financial aid resources from conservation organizations. such as Defenders of Wildlife and Vital Ground more readily available to residents and business owners of North Fork, ”the two groups said last week. “The North Fork community deeply mourns the loss of Monica and her cubs and, in the months to come, will explore new avenues to better educate and help residents and visitors experience and recreate in bear country a safe way for bears and humans. “
Despite the loss of Monica and her cubs, the number of grizzly bears killed by human means this year has been lower than in previous years.
In the Northern Continental Divide ecosystem, which stretches from Canada to Ovando, a total of 36 bears have been killed. Fifteen were agency moves for various reasons and 10 were struck by vehicles. Four were poached. Two were accidentally poisoned, one was killed in self-defense and one died during capture. Three the cause of death was unknown,
In addition to the 36, three died of natural causes.
However, as the hunting season approaches, that number could increase, as hunters at least a few years ago had encounters with grizzly bears which did not go well for the bears and in some cases , the hunters too.
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