Bear problems in Yosemite National Park have greatly been reduced through a strong bear management plan/Bob Roney via Yosemite Conservancy

Yosemite National Park long has had a history of problems between visitors and the park's black bears, but those appear to be a thing of the past. Since 1998, officials note, bear incidents that have generated personal property damage have dropped by 95 percent.

That progress has been achieved thanks to the park's approaches to bear management, and it should continue to improve thanks to better tracking of Yosemite's bears through a program underwritten by the Yosemite Conservancy. For the first time, the park's wildlife managers can map and monitor the movement of the black bears in real-time via $70,000 worth of GPS collars provided by the Conservancy.

The project will provide currently unknown information about how bears are using the majority of the park'™s wild habitat. Wildlife managers have successfully tracked the movements of black bears in developed areas in Yosemite for over a decade using radio telemetry. However, once a bear leaves a developed area, its movements are difficult to track.

'œThis project will expand the park'™s understanding of Yosemite'™s black bear population, and help to keep bears wild and visitors safe,' said Yosemite Don Neubacher. 'œYosemite Conservancy funding helps us to achieve our bear management goals of keeping healthy natural populations of black bears as independent from human influence as possible.'

The park superintendent added that study results would be used as part of interpretive programs to teach visitors about bears'™ behavior.

Since 1989, Yosemite Conservancy donors have contributed $2.1 million to support bear protection and education programs, such as the construction and installation of more than 2,000 bear-proof food storage lockers throughout the park. The organization also rents bear-proof food canisters used by backpackers and supports educational programs like the Junior Ranger program, an interactive program that helps children develop an appreciation for protecting natural resources by teaching them about park wildlife, habitat and history. The National Park Service'™s 'œRed Bear-Dead Bear' signs mark sites where bears have been hit by vehicles to encourage drivers to slow down.

'œWe'™re committed to helping the park protect Yosemite'™s wildlife so future generations can experience thrills like seeing a black bear ambling through a valley meadow,' said Yosemite Conservancy President Mike Tollefson. 'œThose are memories that last a lifetime and encourage people to be stewards of the park.'

Mr. Tollefson said the GPS technology to be used in the bear program has been applied successfully in an effort funded by Yosemite Conservancy to reestablish and monitor bighorn sheep in Yosemite. The new GPS program for bears and existing radio telemetry tracking allow park personnel to prevent incidents and help stem bears'™ reliance on human food sources. Bears that become conditioned to human food stored or disposed of improperly often break into vehicles and even homes.