Defenders Pays $16,691 in Grizzly Bear Compensation During 2001

(01/22/2002) - MISSOULA, Mont. -- Defenders of Wildlife today announced that it paid $16,691 in 2001 to ranchers for livestock losses caused by grizzly bears in the Northern Rockies. Defenders also noted that it has paid more than $80,000 to date for cost- share projects with ranchers that will reduce conflicts with grizzly bears and other large carnivores, under The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Proactive Carnivore Conservation program.

Payments for 2001 from The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Grizzly Compensation Trust were higher than the yearly average of $13,829, but Defenders’ Northern Rockies Field Representative Minette Johnson noted several reasons for the change. A poor berry crop in the northern continental divide ecosystem and mediocre whitebark pine nut production in southern Yellowstone forced bears to traveling far and wide in search of foods.

See Background on The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Grizzly Compensation Trust for maps and other details on grizzly compensation from July 1997 through December 2001.

"The good news is that grizzly bears are expanding their ranges and numbers outside of national parks and designated wilderness areas. As they do so, it’s predictable that more livestock losses will occur. This makes it extremely important to cultivate landowner tolerance by promptly compensating producers for verified livestock losses," said Johnson.

Even so, the livestock losses to grizzly bears over the five year period average only 15 cattle and 5 sheep a year. Compensation payments for grizzly bear damage increased from approximately $13,543 in 2000. Defenders has now paid a total of $64,024 for 96 grizzly depredation incidents since 1997.

Defenders also works to reduce the number of incidents overall in grizzly and wolf habitat, through The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Proactive Carnivore Conservation program. This innovative approach uses cost-share agreements with private landowners on projects to prevent conflicts with large carnivores. Projects include purchasing electric fencing materials to create secure calving grounds and sheep bedding grounds in grizzly country, setting up alarm systems to frighten wolves from cattle, paying for hay or alternative pasture so livestock can be grazed away from wolf activity, buying livestock guard dogs and securing the retirement of grazing allotments in key grizzly bear habitat. Since its creation, Defenders has provided more than $80,000 for these pro-active projects.

See Proactive Carnivore Conservation Fund for more information on The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Proactive Carnivore Conservation program, "Our compensation and proactive programs seek to shift economic responsibility for grizzly bear recovery away from individual ranchers and toward the millions of people in this country who support the conservation of large predators." said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "While overall livestock losses to grizzly bears are not severe industry-wide, they can cause economic hardship for individuals."

Since 1987 Defenders has offered compensation for livestock losses caused by wolves, and has paid more than $206,000 to nearly 180 ranchers during that time. In 1997 Defenders assumed responsibility for the grizzly compensation program that had previously been administered by the Great Bear Foundation. Defenders' expanded the program to cover the entire Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, which includes Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness area, surrounding national forests, and the Blackfeet and Flathead Indian Reservations. In 1999 the program was further enlarged to include the Yellowstone Ecosystem in Montana and Idaho (the state of Wyoming has its own compensation program.)

Here’s how Defenders’ grizzly bear program works. If a rancher believes a grizzly bear has killed livestock, he or she notifies the appropriate state, tribal or federal agency. A trained specialist, usually on the scene within 24 hours, investigates to determine if wolves or grizzly bears were responsible for the death of the livestock. They rely on necropsy techniques (all predators have unique styles for killing their prey) and the presence of tracks, hair or scat. If the investigator verifies that grizzly bears killed the livestock, a report is sent to Defenders of Wildlife.

A Defenders’ staff member from the region then calls the rancher to discuss the incident, explain our compensation program and agree on a payment amount. In nine out of ten cases, Defenders of Wildlife pays what the livestock producer suggests. In case of a difference of opinion, the program relies on county extension agents to determine fair market value, but that rarely happens. Defenders tries to send a check to the rancher within two weeks of receiving verification of a livestock loss.

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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 425,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered species issues. To stay current on hot topics in wildlife conservation, subscribe to DENlines, Defenders of Wildlife's electronic update and action alert network.

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Contact(s):

Minette Johnson (MT), 406-549-4103
Brad DeVries (DC), 202-682-9400x237