News
Montanans positive on grizzly bears
Published
4 years agoon
By
Pat Blair
A new survey of Montanans revealed positive attitudes toward grizzly bears and support for the presence of grizzly bears within the state.
But acceptance of bear presence in areas closer to residential and agricultural areas is lower than in remote public land areas.
The survey was a joint effort of researchers with the University of Montana and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists and was mailed to over 5,000 households randomly selected from across Montana. Nearly 1,800 adults responded.
Among findings of the survey, most Montanans – around 92 percent – agree or strongly agree that grizzly bears have a right to exist in Montana, and 86 percent find it acceptable for the bears to live in primarily forested areas that are publicly owned.
Responding to a statement that grizzly bears don’t belong where people live, 35 percent agreed or strongly agreed, and 43 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.
When asked about their emotional response to seeing a grizzly bear from a distance while walking, more Montanans said they would be nervous, scared and upset than would be relaxed, not scared and pleased.
Sixty percent of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that people should learn to live with grizzly bears near their homes, while 20 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. But only 19 percent agreed or strongly agreed that their personal safety was threatened by grizzly bears, while 28 percent agreed or strongly agreed that the bears pose a safety risk to people they care about.
Nearly all the respondents – 94 percent – reported they have or would be willing to carry bear spray while recreating or hunting.
Rexford Dundon
December 19, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Carry a large caliber rifle, not bear spray.
Darren Joseph
December 20, 2020 at 12:17 pm
Darren Joseph
Dromeo
December 20, 2020 at 12:18 pm
9 out of 10 Grizzlies are pleased when they see (and smell) humans too
Donnajayne Brown
December 20, 2020 at 5:51 pm
At least this survey is initially positive however the underlying issue is the reality of the destruction of the immense areas needed in order to sustain genetic diversity of grizzlies. As typical where human development shrinks the already diminished wilderness ecosystems, urban sprawl and McMansions lead to urban sprawl and eventual human/grizzled conflicts.
Tim Henderson
December 20, 2020 at 7:46 pm
Grizzly bears are nothing to play with, they will eat you if they get a chance. The trails in Montana have bottom buried barrels with cage doors on the top to keep you from getting eaten while you’re trying to sleep on a long hike in Montana. People have been away from Grizzly bears too long in Montana to think it’s safe to have them around, WAKE UP PEOPLE!
darren joseph
December 25, 2020 at 9:09 am
and eat you while you’re still alive! Yikes,..google what happen to the man and his lady in Alaska, audio was caught on tape. Horrible.