Grizzly bear pounces on Yellowstone firefighter. AP. Jackson Hole News and Guide.
Update. August 7. Firefighter back after griz encounter. Billings Gazette News Services.
Grizzly bear pounces on Yellowstone firefighter
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A Project of Sage Steppe Wild
Grizzly bear pounces on Yellowstone firefighter. AP. Jackson Hole News and Guide.
Update. August 7. Firefighter back after griz encounter. Billings Gazette News Services.
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Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Comments
Strange article…almost as if it ran for the value of the title. I wonder if it would have been newsworthy if it were an elk who ran over a firefighter on his way out of the area?
Just think if it had been a wolf.
This story took a day to leak into most of the mainstream press after it was buried in the NPS press release. It was clear they were trying to downplay the incident. But, now it’s all out on the AP wire, even though it amounts to nothing.
In general, in Yellowstone news, it’s fire coverage nonstop, as it always is this time of year. Last year, it was the Columbine, Owl, and Madison Arm fires; this year it’s LeHardy, Gunbarrel, and Cascade. Visitors to my site have doubled in recent weeks just as they doubled last month – trying to keep updated on fire and road conditions.
Under the radar is that Montana FWP is meeting this week in Bozeman on the IBMP. I likely won’t be able to see much of this meeting because I take care of my baby during the day. I may give it a shot, anyhow, but it’s not easy in these circumstances.
By the way, on that IBMP meeting – not just FWP but at FWP offices – my group just put this out. It’s not only grizzlies and firefighters who have reason to be frightened. From http://buffaloallies.org/node/96:
The partners in the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) are meeting in Bozeman Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 6 and 7 at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks offices at 1400 S. 19th Ave. from 2 to 5 PM on Aug. 6 and 8:30 AM to 2 PM on Aug. 7. There are public comment periods at the end of each day – each person gets 2 minutes each.
FWP has posted a tentative agenda online at http://fwp.mt.gov/content/getItem.aspx?id=34611 (pdf). The main point of the meeting is to discuss the U.S. Government Accountability Office report and recommendations (which were extremely critical of the IBMP), consider the last season under the plan (where more wild buffalo were killed than at any time since the 19th century), and consider short-term and long-term adjustments to the plan.
Buffalo Allies of Bozeman has called for partners in the IBMP to pull out of the plan and end the hazing and slaughter of wild buffalo while simultaneously increasing habitat for buffalo into Montana. For our complete mission, please see http://buffaloallies.org/node/22.
This is an important opportunity to hold the partners of the IBMP accountable while finding out what to do next. However you feel about bison management, please take the time to make your voice heard.
Linda, you were right. See the update.
. . . and Tim, yes, had it been a wolf, we would not be able to hear ourselves after the din and outrage.
In montana, Moose are killed for defending themselves against the harrassment of snowmobilers, so I think the Elk would not have a chance either…
If the same fire fighter had stood in front of horses fleeing a fire he would have been trampled. A frightened bear ran in a panick away from what it saw as danger, It had no truck to drive away from the flames.
I am thankful the man was okay, but come on. Were they just waiting around to see a terrified animal react out of fear? These people are animal paparazzi.