Multi-year black bear population and habitat study expands to more areas around state
Courtesy/Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks A black bear snacks in the Montana backcountry. Black bears occupy about 45 percent of the western and west-central end of the state.
HELENA – This month, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks researchers will begin the second season of a multi-year study on black bears aimed at better understanding and estimating the population across the state.
FWP staff will collect hair samples by setting up barbed wire hair corrals west of Kalispell. In addition, about 20 bears will be captured and collared to collect the GPS data on in western and central Montana.
This black bear monitoring program will ultimately help FWP gain an accurate and timely understanding of the black bear populations, accounting for regional differences, to better inform management decisions. The study will provide estimates on bear abundance and distribution and provide insights on how they use available habitats.
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