Fatal grizzly attack renews debate over how many bears are too many

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/05/ [login to see] /fatal-grizzly-attack-renews-debate-over-how-many-bears-are-too-many
Authorities have been unable to find the grizzly bear that killed a woman just outside Yellowstone National Park late last month. Last week, they called off the search. That fatal attack has renewed calls to remove Endangered Species Act protections for grizzlies, so there are fewer bears on the landscape.

The latest data shows the population of grizzly bears in and around the park at 965. That's more than quadruple the number that existed when they were first protected by the Endangered Species Act in 1975.

Despite their fearsome reputation, though, grizzly bears would rather avoid people than attack them. By the numbers, visitors to the heart of grizzly country in Yellowstone National Park have about the same likelihood of being killed by a falling tree as being killed by a grizzly.

That's despite a lot more people in the area. A record 5 million people visited Yellowstone National Park in 2021. Even more frequent the surrounding mountains and forests. In that enormous region, the animals have killed a total of 10 people since 2010.