Grizzly reality: US states grapple with uptick in encounters between bears and humans

OK SO LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN THE PUBLIC IS FURIOUS WITH WILDLIFE WORKERS OVER BEARS BEING PUT DOWN AFTER ATTACKS AND RUN-INS, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THEY FACE A TRAGIC DILEMMA BECAUSE DAN THOMPSON IN WYOMING EXPECTS RECORD NUMBERS OF BEARS WILL HAVE TO BE KILLED THIS YEAR, AND THE THING IS AT LEAST FIFTEEN STATES ARE REPORTING SURGING HUMAN-BEAR CONFLICTS, WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE POPULATIONS ACTUALLY REBOUNDED OVER FIFTY YEARS THANKS TO HUNTING RESTRICTIONS AND SUSTAINABLE LOGGING, BUT A WARM WINTER AND SEVERE DROUGHT IN THE WEST WIPED OUT BERRIES AND ACORNS, SO HUNGRY BEARS ARE WANDERING INTO RESIDENTIAL AREAS SEARCHING FOR POST-HIBERNATION CALORIES, AND CONNECTICUT HAS LOGGED AT LEAST SIXTY REPORTS OF BEARS ENTERING HOMES THIS YEAR WHILE NATIONAL PARKS SAW OVER THREE HUNDRED MILLION VISITORS. ALSO THIS BASS SLAPS.

HOLD ON I HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS ONE BECAUSE OUT IN WYOMING WHERE VAST CARNIVORE TERRITORY MEETS SPREADING TOWNS PEOPLE ARE CROSSING PATHS WITH BEARS AT SHOCKING RATES AND THE WILD THING IS BIOLOGISTS LIKE NATE BOWERSOCK EXPLAIN THAT POPULATIONS SPENT FIFTY YEARS RECOVERING AFTER CENTURIES OF OVERHUNTING AND COMPLETE CLEARCUTTING THANKS TO SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY, BUT NOW A WARM WINTER AND SEVERE DROUGHT IN THE WEST DESTROYED NATURAL CROPS OF BERRIES AND ACORNS THAT BEARS DESPERATELY REQUIRE FOR FAT AFTER HIBERNATING, WHICH MEANS HUNGRY BEARS ARE PROWLING FOR ALTERNATIVE FOOD SOURCES WHILE EXPANDING HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND OVER THREE HUNDRED MILLION PARK VISITORS COLLIDE WITH THEM, AND EVEN CONNECTICUT LOGGED AT LEAST SIXTY INCIDENTS OF BEARS ENTERING HOUSES, SO OFFICIALS LIKE DAN THOMPSON FACE UNFORGIVING TRAGEDIES WHERE RECORD NUMBERS OF ANIMALS WILL HAVE TO BE PUT DOWN. ANYWAY I WILL BE THINKING ABOUT THIS IN THE TAXI.

At least 15 US states are seeing rising human-bear encounters as drought depletes natural foods, human development expands, and bear populations continue to rebound from conservation efforts.

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