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| ©Jim Pfeiffenberger | | Black Bear on Kenai Fjords Coast |
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Bears occur throughout Kenai Fjords National Park and are a focal attraction for park visitors. The opportunity to see a bear in its natural habitat contributes significantly to enjoyment of the park. This experience, however, can increase the potential for conflict between humans and bears and alter normal bear behavior. Park management and visitor activities can also affect use of habitat by bears and all bears are capable of injuring people and damaging property. These factors present a management challenge when striving to preserve bears as an integral component of the ecosystem while providing for reasonable public safety.
In 2007, the Park Superintendent approved an to guide bear management in the park. The goals of the park bear management program are to:
- Provide for visitor and staff safety by minimizing bear-human conflicts.
- Minimize the effects of human activities on the distribution, abundance and behavior of black and brown bear populations.
- Ensure opportunities for visitors to observe, understand, and appreciate black and brown bears, as a part of an intact ecosystem.
The program consists of proactive measures such as food storage and education, and management actions such as hazing and aversive conditioning of bears. All park employees, cooperators and commercial operators assist in bear management in countless ways from emptying garbage cans to giving bear talks, filling out Bear Encounter Report forms, and keeping a clean camp. Primary responsibility for bear management in the park lies with the Interpretation and Visitor Services (IVS) and Resource Management (RM) Teams. The Bear Incident Response Team consists of RM and IVS staff trained, and available, to respond to bear incidents who may be involved in conducting hazing or aversive conditioning operations. They are the heart of the program and the employees you are likely to see in the campground and along the trails monitoring bear activity and educating visitors.
The RM Team is responsible for the collection, management and reporting of all bear-human encounter information for the park. The tool we use is the Bear-Human Information Management System (BHIMS) which facilitates the collection, storage, and analysis of detailed information on bear-human interactions, and enables informed bear management and public education efforts. Bear Encounter Reports submitted by visitors, commercial operators, and park employees provide valuable information that managers can use to improve visitor safety and to protect bears and bear habitat within the park. The Resource Management Team uses this information to produce of bear activity and regular web updates of bear activity throughout the summer.
By understanding the types of bear-human interactions that frequently occur in the park, managers, staff and visitors can hopefully improve their understanding of bear behavior and avoid negative interactions in the future. In 2007, the types of encounters and incidents documented include: 1) persistent bears approaching human use areas with humans present; 2) habituated bears encountered in their natural habitat; 3) surprise encounters of close proximity where the bear showed signs of excitement; 4) chance encounters between curious bears and human property; 5) bears that damaged property; and 6) bears that obtained human food. Some lessons learned from these interactions include: properly store all food in Bear Resistant Food Containers; be aware of bears while hiking and make noise to avoid surprise encounters; do not harass habituated bears by approaching too close; carry bear pepper spray while hiking; avoid camping in high use bear areas; keep tents, kayaks and other gear in close proximity; and be ready to defend your food and gear if a curious bear approaches.
Andrew Clark Hecht Memorial Public Safety Achievement Award
The Kenai Fjords National Park Bear Management Team was recently awarded the 2008 NPS Andrew Clark Hecht Memorial Public Safety Achievement Award. This is the highest award bestowed by the NPS for outstanding public safety achievement and is presented annually by the Director of the National Park Service. In 1970, a nine-year-old boy, Andrew Clark Hecht, accidentally fell into a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park and died. The Andrew Clark Hecht Memorial Public Safety Achievement Award was created in his memory, and is annually given to the individual or group who contributes the most in public safety. This is a great honor for the park and a tribute to all the hard work that has gone into our bear management program at the park.
Report Bear Encounters
If you have an encounter with a bear, report it to a park ranger as soon as possible. This will alert others and enable park staff to respond to the situation if necessary. Questions or to report an encounter? Email the Kenai Fjords National Park Bear Management Team or call (please include your current contact information in your email or voicemail message):
Chief of Resource Management
Shelley Hall
Phone: (907)224-7539
Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services
Jim Ireland
Phone: (907) 224-7520
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