Big Carnivores in Washington Outdoorfest Biologist

The wildlife biologist for the Grizzly Outreach Program gave a small talk at the Mountaineers today. bearinfo.org/

From their website, this is the definitive paper on their mission and the existence of Grizzlies in the North Cascades: bearinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Ursus.pdf

The current estimate of the number of Grizzlies in the North Cascades is between 10 and 35 with an additional 50 (don't remember this range of population exactly) in NE Washington. It is said that the current Grizzly population is not large enough to be sustainable in the long term. That would take about 200 individuals over the range of the recovery area in the North Cascades. The biologist said that their are about 20 credible accounts of Grizzly evidence in the Cascades reported on an annual basis. Their are several hotspots where multiple reports emanate from. One of them is east of Glacier Peak where the biologist personally found tracks and scat a couple of years ago. The best evidence is to take a cast or photo of tracks, even better than a photo of a bear in his opinion. One bear was spotted by a Park Ranger about one month ago in the North Cascades but tracks were not available for evidence. There was no doubt about the sighting, however, from experts. Two years ago a Grizzly with two cubs was spotted on the slopes of Mt. Rainier by forest service personnel.

There are an estimated 25,000 Black Bears (forest bears as opposed to Grizzlies) in Washington State.

There are also 9 wolfpacks in Washington. DNA evidence indicates that the wolves are re-entering Washington State from two distinct areas, the Rockies and from the BC coast populations. Brand new research indicates that the Teanaway pack (about 9 members), the Twisp River pack (unknown pack size but Fish and Wildlife agents have killed one pack member and are preparing to kill 4 more at the behest of a Rancher who refuses other methods of intervention seattletimes.com/avantgo/2019088062.html ) and the Hozomeen Pack (no known population) have come from Coastal BC. These wolves are smaller than the wolves in the other Washington Packs and the former have Salmon fishing skills.

The wildlife biologist, when I asked him, said that the number of Wolverines in the North Cascades might be around 15 individuals but this is just an estimate.

Besides the photo of a Moose taken at Ross Lake and posted online, the same Park Ranger in the North Cascades who saw the Grizzly this year also saw a Moose.

Two years ago a Grizzly with two cubs was spotted on the slopes of Mt. Rainier by forest service personnel.

Wow - Was there any doubt about the Rainier sighting? That seems pretty far south for them to have traveled. Good job the Grizzly Outreach Project wasn't named the Grizzly Outreach Research Experiment. G.O.R.E.

Wow - Was there any doubt about the Rainier sighting?  That seems pretty far south for them to have traveled.  Good job the Grizzly Outreach Project wasn't named the Grizzly Outreach Research Experiment.  G.O.R.E.

All of this information, except the wolf killing experiment by F/W personnel (sorry my error, wrong pack, not the Twisp but the Wedge in NE Washington) came from the Grizzly Outreach wildlife biologist. He didn't express any doubt about the Rainier sightings.

Hmmm. As a working wildlife biologist in the PNW for 25 yrs, I'm taking some of this with a grain of salt. The number of griz that can be supported in the Cascades cited is 4 times that of scientific studies - this citation from the website referenced has it more in line:

.....here are currently believed to be fewer than 20 grizzly bears in the U.S. portion of the ecosystem, with perhaps that many more in the Canadian portion.

The most credible recent sitings of griz I know of are the photos from Sahale Arm last year - clearly a griz, and the observations near Metaline in NE WA of a griz chowing on a dead elk for several days by USFS biologists. The Mt Rainier one seems especially doubtful - Almak spent several years chasing down the history of sitings and there have been several studies pointing to the NC and NE WA as the only areas of occupancy.

One other note - this organization is an educational outreach group - it's not associated with any research nor are the major researchers, USFWS, USFS, WDFW associated with it. Nothing wrong with education - but no reason to stretch things.

Hmmm.  As a working wildlife biologist in the PNW for 25 yrs, I'm taking some of this with a grain of salt.  The number of griz that can be supported in the Cascades cited is 4 times that of scientific studies - this citation from the website referenced has it more in line:

.....here are currently believed to be fewer than 20 grizzly bears in the U.S. portion of the ecosystem, with perhaps that many more in the Canadian portion.

The most credible recent sitings of griz I know of are the photos from Sahale Arm last year - clearly a griz, and the observations near Metaline in NE WA of a griz chowing on a dead elk for several days by USFS biologists.  The Mt Rainier one seems especially doubtful - Almak spent several years chasing down the history of sitings and there have been several studies pointing to the NC and NE WA as the only areas of occupancy.

Gee, you must be a real expert on the grizzlies of Washington.