"After a Comeback, New Challenges for Yellowstone’s Grizzly Bears"

"YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- When the Yellowstone grizzly bear was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975, there were only about 100 to 200 of them in the park and the surrounding country.

The main culprit in their decline was, oddly, garbage. Bears raiding dumpsters in a campground or, say, lapping up bacon grease behind an outfitter’s tent were often shot as scary nuisances.

A 35-year campaign to clean up dumps and bear-proof garbage cans – and to teach people to keep picnic baskets and coolers in the car – has had a significant payoff. There were 717 grizzlies at last count in the 20 million acres in and around Yellowstone National Park."

Jim Robbins reports for the New York Times May 2, 2016.