Dispatches

Conservation

Return of the grizzly

A grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) mother with cubs, Glacier National Park, Montana. Photo: Jeff Stetz
Valley habitats are extremely productive for bears, but where there are human settlements with livestock, there could be conflict with grizzlies. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
An adult male grizzly bear, Yellowstone National Park. Photo: John Seidensticker
Present grizzly distribution in the Lower 48 States (that is, all States except Alaska and Hawaii). Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Differences between the black bear and the grizzly bear. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Rob Wingard, a biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, at the visitor centre of North Cascades National Park on July 7 with the stuffed five-year-old grizzly that was illegally shot in Alaska. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Salmon are a nutrient-rich food source for bears. Here, the Coho (silver) salmon. Photo: Courtesy: Google images
Sockeye (red) salmon. Photo: Courtesy: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Chinook salmon. Photo: Courtesy: Google images
Diablo lake with the Colonial (2,375 m) and Pyramid (2,189 m) peaks in the background, which are home to mountain goats. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
The Skagit river, one of the main salmon and steelhead rivers in the Cascades, a mountain range in the U.S. Pacific north-west. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
The North Cascades Ecosystem has granite peaks, alpine meadows, conifer forests and broad-leaved vegetation and sagebrush-filled valleys. Alpine habitats are not only productive for ungulates and bears but are also very scenic. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium). Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Rosy spirea (Spiraea splendens). Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Broadleaf arnica (Arnica latifolia). Photo: AJT Johnsingh
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) was common along the edge of roads. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Fred Koontz, the authors’ trekking companion, dwarfed by old growth trees in the Cascades. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), as photographed on July 15. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa). Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus). Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh
Lake 22, one of the many alpine lakes in the Cascades. Photo: A.J.T. Johnsingh