Essay: How humans impact on wildlife (Grizzly bears)

Grizzly bears are majestic symbols of the wild. Grizzlies are massive animals with humped shoulders and an elevated forehead that contributes to a somewhat concave profile. Grizzlies once lived in much of western North America and even roamed the Great Plains. Grizzly bears require large amounts of secure habitat, but today’s reality, grizzly bears must routinely navigate roads, subdivisions, livestock operations and energy development. Many Grizzlies that are still roaming in the wild, where hunters pursue them as a big trophies. The greatest threat facing grizzly bear population today are deaths caused by humans.
Human-related deaths and habitat loss remain significant threats to long-term grizzly bear recovery. It is common knowledge that roads have a negative impact on grizzly bear survival. The remaining grizzly bear populations are unconnected, with major towns, roads and railways placed between them. Grizzly bear management is very much an interrelated part of natural resources management whether on a specific or collective basis. Governmental manipulation of natural resources, including the grizzly bear, or “management” actually represents a small proportion of environmental and natural resources administration in the United States. In this sense, management can often be considered a myth, as if it were done by some kind of giant hand of technology under the orchestrated direction of natural resource professionals.
The greatest threat facing grizzly bear population economically, today are deaths caused by humans, In an increasing development world, bears often cross through private lands in search of food and secure habitat. Attractants such as bee yards, garbage, fruit trees, chicken coops, livestock and bird feeders often lure bears close to homes and habituate them, or help them become used to human activity. Nearly 3 million of Yellowstone Park’s annual 4 million visits occur in June, July and August. More than 30,000 people a day visit in the peak summer season   and they all want to see bears. Bear jams keep rangers busy directing traffic and protecting tourists and bears. Seeing a black bear is great, but spotting a grizzly is an even greater, rarer thrill. Tourists who search for bears with binoculars and cameras won’t appreciate having them shot for sport. A grizzly hunting season would hurt the state’s reputation far outside its borders and potentially damage our tourism industry.
Climate change poses new and little understood challenge to the bears. There is evidence suggesting that bears are denning later, and staying on the landscape longer in the fall when unintended shooting by hunters are most common. Most importantly, a changing climate can also impact food resources for grizzlies.
For example, whitebark pine seeds are major food source for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Blister rust (an exotic species) and mountain pine beetle infections, exacerbated by climate change, are major threats to changing food conditions. Grizzly bears that choose to adapt to human-generated food resources often die as a result. What a grizzly bear’s environment and diet will look like in the face of climate change is still uncertain, and as habitats are altered we will have to continually assess the impacts to grizzly bears.
Changes in climate and extreme weather events have already begun to affect biodiversity across the globe and mostly what negatively affect not only grizzly bears but also impacts on wildlife. Humans and wild animals face new challenges for survival because of climate change. More frequent and intense drought, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans can directly harm animals, destroy the places they live, and wreak havoc on people’s livelihoods and communities. Sea levels are rising and oceans are becoming warmer. Longer, more intense droughts threaten crops, wildlife and freshwater supplies. From polar bears in the Arctic to marine turtles off the coast of Africa, our planet’s diversity of life is at risk from the changing climate.
Solution to this issue:
1.) Advance policies to fight climate change
2.) Engage with business to reduce carbon emissions
3.) Help people and nature adapt to a changing climate