Become Bear Savvy! Celebrate National Bear Awareness Week, May 15 - 21
This week's educational events -- coordinated by the conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association Bear Taxon Advisory Group (AZA Bear TAG) -- are taking place across the country and in your own backyard.
"North America's three bear species -- the polar bear, grizzly bear and American black bear-are currently threatened by habitat loss and human-caused mortality," said Nina Fascione, Defenders of Wildlife vice president of field conservation. "Bear Awareness Week is a time to recognize how vital these large mammals are to the ecosystems in which they live and how important it is to protect their habitat. Through a variety of activities this week, participants will also learn just how critical it is to protect biological diversity."
Defenders of Wildlife has been active in bear conservation around the country, with a particular emphasis on grizzly bears in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Defenders runs a highly successful program, The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Proactive Carnivore Conservation Fund, which works with local people on innovative ways of heading off problems with bears and wolves. Defenders has invested over $200,000 in partnerships with landowners and others on 54 different projects that benefit bears. Projects range from putting up electric fencing for sheep, to creating educational materials, to hiring "bear jam" managers who work to eliminate the potentially dangerous situations that occur in places like Yellowstone when drivers spot a bear near the road.
In Anchorage, Alaska, volunteers from Defenders and the local homeowner's association will be asking families living near Chugach State Park to sign a "Safe Neighborhoods - Wild Bears" pledge to properly store bear attractants, like garbage and birdseed, and to put out trash the morning of pickup.
"Bears have been a vital part of the North American landscape for thousands of years, and protecting them is everyone's responsibility. The good news is that all of us working together can make a difference," said Minette Johnson, Defenders of Wildlife Northwestern Rockies field representative. "We know that as human populations continue to grow and encroach upon the remaining bear habitat, and as bear populations expand, interactions are anticipated to grow in number. Therefore, it is necessary for recreationsists and residents in bear country to take personal responsibility to reduce potential conflicts by removing attractants, such as garbage, pet food and other human food. If each of us does one thing differently, we can improve the likelihood of bear recovery dramatically."
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Defenders of Wildlife is a leading nonprofit
conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive
advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 480,000 members and
supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered
species
issues.
Contact(s):
Brad DeVries, (202) 772-0237
