SAVE THE YELLOWSTONE GRIZZLY

PRESENTATIONS ARE HELD AT OUTDOOR STORES AND OTHER EVENTS TO SHOWCASE FILMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT AND PROTECTION. TO DATE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS PRODUCED EIGHT FILMS FEATURING PROMINENT WILDLIFE SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING JANE GOODALL AND YVON CHOUINARD, CARL HIAASEN, JEFF BRIDGES, MICHAEL KEATON AND DOUG PEACOCK. THESE "ROAD SHOWS" ALSO INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS BY SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS, AND OTHER PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE WILDLIFE SUPPORT COMMUNITY. DONATIONS ARE ACCEPTED AT THESE EVENTS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA (FACEBOOK AND PAYPAL), AND PROMOTIONAL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD. THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND SUPPORT OF THESE TIME-SENSITIVE ISSUES. THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY BLOCKED AN EFFORT BY THE US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE, AND THE STATES OF MONTANA, WYOMING AND IDAHO TO DELIST THE GRIZZLY BEAR FROM ITS STATUS AS "THREATENED" UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IN 2018. THE ORGANIZATION WAS JOINED IN THIS EFFORT BY MAJOR WILDLIFE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE SIERRA CLUB, AND MORE THAN FIFTY INDIAN TRIBES. AN IMPORTANT STUDY IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED ON WILDLIFE MIGRATION CORRIDORS IN THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES. THESE CORRIDORS ARE NECESSARY TO CONNECT ISOLATED SMALLER POPULATIONS TO ENSURE GENETIC DIVERSITY NECESSARY FOR THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF THE BEARS. AREAS SUITABLE FOR THIS DISPERSAL OF THE BEAR POPULATION ARE BEING IDENTIFIED. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SPONSORS "BEAR SAFETY AND AWARENESS" PROGRAMS TO FURTHER INVOLVE THE PUBLIC IN PROTECTION OF THIS IMPORTANT SPECIES. THE ORGANIZATION CONCENTRATED EFFORTS IN 2019 ON THE MIGRATION (OR "UNDERPASS") CORRIDOR PROJECT AND A FILM PROJECT. "THE BEAST OF OUR TIME: CLIMATE CHANGE AND GRIZZLY BEARS" FILM FOCUSES ON THE IMPACT AND EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE GRIZZLY POPULATION, WHICH IS SEPARATED BY HABITAT FRAGMENTATION AND POSES A THREAT TO THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES. POINTS OF VIEW FROM RANCHERS, CLIMATOLOGISTS, BEAR BIOLOGISTS, WRITERS, AND NATIVE ACTIVISTS PROVIDE PROOF OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WILD AREAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SPECIES' SURVIVAL AND GENETIC DIVERSITY.THE FILM WAS COMPLETED IN 2021.THE UNDERPASS PROJECT, WHICH SEEKS TO CREATE AND ENHANCE EXISTING WILDLIFE CROSSING STRUCTURES AND DESIGNS TO CREATE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDE A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AREA LANDOWNERS AND THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE COST OF THE FEASIBILITY REPORT ARE ESTIMATED AT 25-30,000, WHILE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNDERPASS ITSELF IS ANTICIPATED TO BE 150-200,000. THIS PROJECT IS NOW GOING INTO THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION DESIGN PHASE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CALL FOR PROJECTS TO PROTECT ENDANGERED WILDLIFE FROM HIGHWAY COLLISIONS WHILE ENSURING GENETIC CONNECTIVITY. AS PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT PROGESS, WE EXPECT THERE TO BE MORE OPPORTUNITES FOR GRANTS.