Conflict with human beings

Conflict with human beings, stemming from habituation to one or another aspect of repeated human behaviour, which very often results in the destruction of bears, is probably as significant a threat to bear populations as habitat loss. These are the most important issues facing bear populations today. Our society will tolerate certain misdemeanours from bears, but it is almost wholly intolerant of any form of attack, whatever the reasons it may have occurred. In addition, wildlife authorities will only attempt to trap and relocate a bear a general maximum of twice before considering further manipulation to be marginal, and destroying the bear. Though there are very few bear attacks in any year, minor infractions that might be seen to warrant capture and relocation occur much more commonly. The implication here is that a repeat "offender" bear may become a marginal management consideration for only a few very insignificant and easily preventable reasons.

The problem of conflict is compounded by often very high recreational demands on areas that still contain bears. More people can reach these areas more easily than ever before, though the areas themselves are now smaller and more fragile than they have ever been. This dichotomy presents a serious problem, and it is compounded by the irony that much of what is left of viable grizzly bear habitat in the western US and Canada is also what many people envision as the most desirable land for housing development. This irony is protracted by the fact that the majority of people who move to their supposed dream mountain home seem unable to tolerate the slightest interaction with its wild inhabitants, and quite unwilling to make themselves responsible for taking measures to prevent attracting and habituating bears. Whether it be hikers, cyclists, ranchers, farmers, resource extraction workers, orchard owners, hunters, fishers, householders, or just unwitting visitors, the potential for encounter and conflict in bear country is high if certain protocols are not observed. Despite the fact that more people are aware of environmental issues today than in the past, modern life also has the potential to keep people very removed from the realities of the natural world. The net result of all this is an increased number of people "using" a shrinking area of wild land without clear ideas of the potential consequences of their impact, which makes conflicts with bears likely and difficult to manage.