In the early 20th century the grizzly bear population in The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem had declined dramatically due to hunting and habitat loss. By the mid-1970s numbers had fallen to around 136 bears. In 1975 grizzly bears were federally listed in the lower 48 states as a threatened species and since then the population around Yellowstone has rebounded to an estimated 965 individuals.
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and northwest Montana are the only remaining areas south of Canada that still have large grizzly bear populations. Yellowstone National Park alone is home to approximately 150–200 grizzly bears with ranges wholly or partially inside its boundaries.
All of Yellowstone National Park is bear country, from the remote backcountry trails to the parking lots around Old Faithful. Visitor safety cannot be guaranteed and park officials rely on people playing an active role in protecting themselves by following simple guidelines, the first and most important of which is to never approach grizzlies.
The following video is an excellent example of visitors completely disregarding Yellowstone’s grizzly bear policy. Tourists had observed a sow grizzly bear and three cubs a short distance from the road. Cars were parked and tourists exited their vehicles en masse to get a closer look at the apex predators. In a moment of pure chaos, the tourists emerged running panicked from the wooded area as the mother grizzly bear charged.
This is an extremely dangerous situation and also an easily avoidable one. Commonsense would dictate attempting to get close to a predatory animal that run 40 mph would be bad decision but we often see herd mentality overtake commonsense inside our National Parks where tourists experience a temporary lapse in self-preservation instincts while in the presence of mega-fauna.
Yellowstone National Park Grizzly Safety Guidelines:
- Give bears space. Keep at least 100 yards (93 meters) from bears at all times and never approach a bear to take a photo.
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it. We recommend each person carry one can of bear spray in a readily accessible location like a quick-draw holster (not stowed away in your backpack).
- Hike in groups and make noise. Since 1970, 91% of the people injured by bears in Yellowstone were hiking alone or with only one hiking partner. Only 9% of the people injured by bears were in groups of three or more people. While hiking on a trail, periodically yell “Hey bear!” to alert bears of your presence. Learn more about backcountry safety.
- Respect closures. Do not travel in areas closed for bear management.
- Never feed bears. Bears that become dependent on human food may become aggressive toward people and will be killed.
- Stay with your stuff. Do not leave packs or bags containing food unattended, even for a few minutes, as bears learn new food sources quickly.
- If a bear approaches or touches your car, honk your horn and drive away. We want to discourage this behavior for the bears’ safety and yours.
- Help us spread the word! Share posters from our “A Bear Doesn’t Care” campaign.
If you’re involved in a conflict with a bear, regardless of how minor, contact us or report it to a park ranger as soon as possible. If cell service is available, dial 911. The lives of other people, and the bear, may depend on it.
