Interactions between humans and wildlife are important issues in the Y2Y region. This is especially true in the southern half of the region, from Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming to the Peace River Break in British Columbia. The high density of roads, railways, and human communities there make interactions between humans and wildlife inevitable – and often translate into negative consequences for wildlife, especially bears.

In separate studies of bear mortality in Banff National Park and the state of Montana, human-related causes were responsible for 86 to 91 percent of all bear deaths. These causes included illegal or accidental shooting, death by motor vehicles, and habituation to people through attractants such as backyard fruit trees, improperly stored garbage, and bird feeders. Given these findings, it’s clear that the safe and comfortable coexistence of grizzly bears and humans is essential for effective conservation in the region. Under the right conditions, bears and humans can live in proximity without conflict – and in most cases without even seeing each other.

Fortunately, a number of relatively simple and inexpensive human-based solutions can go a long way in facilitating peaceful coexistence, such as:

• The construction of wildlife-crossing structures and increased signage in transportation corridors to reduce the likelihood of car-wildlife collisions.
• Community-education efforts explaining the importance and principles of keeping homes and farms unattractive to bears and other wildlife.
• Identification programs to help hunters learn to distinguish black bears from grizzly bears in the field.

While peaceful coexistence of humans and wildlife in the region is one of the greatest challenges and opportunities facing the region, there are concrete steps that can alleviate the problem, and many ways that individuals can be part of the solution.