[Photo: NPS]
FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – A new website is launched to protect the Yosemite National Park’s iconic black bears.
Yosemite Park Spokesperson Scott Gediman says the website KeepBearsWild.org launched by Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Conservancy is the only one of its kind in the National Park Service.
[Photo: NPS]
It features the Park Service’s first online bear tracker, information on ways for the public to help save bears, and eye-opening photography and videos not before available to the public.
“It’s a great website. Great info about bears, bear biology, blog posts, things like that and one of the most exciting things is we have what we call the bear tracker.” – Park Spokesperson, Scott Gediman.
Several bears have GPS collars that let park rangers know where the bears are around the park. Gediman says that will help park managers learn more about the bears’ habits to protect them and raise awareness among visitors about what they can do to save bears.
[Photo: NPS]
“KeepBearsWild.org is an important way to raise awareness, appreciation and respect for Yosemite’s beloved black bears. Our message is simple: everyone can keep bears wild by driving slowly, storing food properly and staying at a safe distance when you see them.”–Yosemite National Park Acting Superintendent Chip Jenkins.
Yosemite Conservancy grants of more than $1.2 million since 1998 have funded a variety of bear-management tools, including the creation of KeepBearsWild.org.
Conservancy support has also gone to improving monitoring and tracking technologies, purchasing and installing thousands of bearproof food lockers, and funding research and educational programs.
As a result of such programs, there has been a massive reduction in annual bear-related incidents in the park, from 1,584 in 1998 to fewer than 100 in 2016.
Click below to listen to the story by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
