on displacement from preferred habitats is greatest in spring. Furthermore, the level of traffic also 

 appears to influence degree of bear avoidance of roads. 



Security cover is another important component of habitat. Grizzly bear habitat can be impacted by a 

 reduction of security cover as the direct or indirect result of natural phenomena such as fire, various 

 human activities, and land management practices, including recreational development and primary 

 roads, restricted roads and motorized trails, human use, oil and gas development, logging practices, and 

 forest fires. 



FWP recognizes the need to minimize negative impacts to bear habitats. Other than on FWPs own 

 wildlife management areas, FWP does not have decision making authority on federal. State School Trust, 

 or tribal lands. However, FWP works closely with these land management agencies to minimize negative 

 impacts on fish and wildlife species. Additionally, FWP is considering grizzly bears in comments and 

 discussions regarding land management activity in grizzly bear habitat, whether inside or well outside 

 established recovery zones. Accordingly, FWP, in collaboration with other agencies, will monitor oil, gas, 

 timber, mining and subdivision projects, and try to address grizzly bear needs by commenting on 

 projects. Consideration and recommendations will be made based on the best scientific information 

 available and take essential habitat requirements of the grizzly bear into account. In doing so, FWP will 

 evaluate factors such as (i) human interaction and potential for grizzly bear mortality (ii) displacement 

 from important habitats (iii) habihjation to humans and (iv) ability of habitat to provide basic seasonal 

 energy requirements. 



FWP also recognizes that habitat changes, such as loss of whitebark pine or huckleberry crop failures, 

 within the recovery zones could result in increased importance of habitats outside and will monitor and 

 respond to those changes if they should occur. Likewise, there is the potential for bear habitat quality to 

 be negatively impacted by the spread of noxious weeds. FWP believes that any such changes will be 

 detected during the course of ongoing habitat monitoring and will respond appropriately by adjusting 

 habitat management programs should these plants become problematic and begin impacting the bear 

 population. 



Food Sources 



> If deemed appropriate, FWP, in cooperation with other agencies, will identify and monitor key 

 food sources such as huckleberry or other berry production, moth aggregaHon sites, and 

 ungulate populations. 



Grizzly bears are opportunistic omnivores that are able to survive in a variety of habitats and utilize a 

 range of foods. Major food sources utilized by bears inhabiting western Montana include a variety of 

 vegetative foods, winter-killed large ungulates (e.g. elk, moose), and various berries including 

 huckleberries. Existence and abundance of these food sources has been well documented in western 

 Montana and monitoring of berry production (e.g. huckleberry, buffaloberry, serviceberry, and mountain 

 ash) has taken place in the CYE since 1989. If scientific data indicate that monitoring of food sources is 

 warranted, FWP, in cooperation with other agencies, will initiate monitoring of major grizzly bear foods 

 toward berry production, army cutworm moths, and ungulate populations. If it appears that bear use of 

 these or other food sources is threatened, threats will be addressed and monitoring protocols modified. 



FWP envisions that monitoring efforts will be collaborative in nature and will work with appropriate 

 federal, state and tribal authorities to develop programs aimed at surveying selected whitebark pine 



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