Saved by the


hair of a bear


This summer when Yellowstone grizzly bears enjoy a nice back-scratch, they could be saving their own hides. Researchers from the Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation will set up triangular corrals of barbed wire at various locations in hopes that the bears will rub against the wire and leave a little hair behind. “When a bear comes to one of our traps, it will be signing a guest book,” says Don Whittemore, director of the nonprofit Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation. “We can identify a bear’s entire family.” Past studies have shown that Yellowstone’s bears come from just two maternal lineages, and 91 percent spring from just one. Last year 18 grizzlies died – 16 killed by humans – the highest number since the species was given federal protection in 1975, giving scientists further concern about the population’s genetic diversity. Federal scientists say the new tests will help them gauge the importance of bringing in bears from Canada and Montana to infuse the Yellowstone population with new genetic material. For more information, call the Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation at 303/939-8126 or check the group’s web site at http://www.desktop.org/ygf.

Close window X

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Our articles are available for republishing, but images are only available on a case-by-case basis. You can’t republish photographs or illustrations without written permission from High Country News and/or the photographer. Please reach out to syndication@hcn.org to request illustrations and photography for specific stories. Republishing guidelines

• Credit the author and High Country News - We prefer Author Name, High Country News at the byline.  At the top of the story, if on the web, please include this text and link: “This story was originally published by High Country News.”
• Check the image requirements - Images that are clearly marked CC or from federal agencies are in the creative commons and are available for republishing. Outside of this, you can’t republish photographs or illustrations without written permission from High Country News and/or the photographer. Please reach out to syndication@hcn.org to request more information.
• Don’t change anything significant - Articles must be republished in their entirety. Revisions for house style or references to time (“yesterday” to “today”) are allowed. If larger revisions are necessary, including significant trims or an editor’s note, contact us at syndication@hcn.org to get approval for the change ahead of republishing.
• Share on social media - When sharing on social tag High Country News in your post and note the story is from @highcountrynews
  • Twitter: @highcountrynews 
  • Instagram: @highcountrynews
  • TikTok: @highcountrynews
  • Facebook: @highcountrynews
  • LinkedIn: High Country News
• Stay in touch - Let us know you republished the story. Send a link to syndication@hcn.org once you’ve republished the story and let us know how it’s resonating with your readers.

Saved by the hair of a bear

by Staff, High Country News
May 27, 1996

<h1>Saved by the hair of a bear</h1> <p class="byline">by Staff, High Country News <br />May 27, 1996</p> <p>Saved by the</p> <p>hair of a<br /> bear</p> <p>This summer when Yellowstone grizzly bears<br /> enjoy a nice back-scratch, they could be saving their own hides.<br /> Researchers from the Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation will set up<br /> triangular corrals of barbed wire at various locations in hopes<br /> that the bears will rub against the wire and leave a little hair<br /> behind. “When a bear comes to one of our traps, it will be signing<br /> a guest book,” says Don Whittemore, director of the nonprofit<br /> Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation. “We can identify a bear’s entire<br /> family.” Past studies have shown that Yellowstone’s bears come from<br /> just two maternal lineages, and 91 percent spring from just one.<br /> Last year 18 grizzlies died – 16 killed by humans – the highest<br /> number since the species was given federal protection in 1975,<br /> giving scientists further concern about the population’s genetic<br /> diversity. Federal scientists say the new tests will help them<br /> gauge the importance of bringing in bears from Canada and Montana<br /> to infuse the Yellowstone population with new genetic material. For<br /> more information, call the Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation at<br /> 303/939-8126 or check the group’s web site at<br /> http://www.desktop.org/ygf.</p> <div class="wp-block-group hcn-print-edition-box"> <p>This article appeared in the <a href="/?p=188139">print edition of the magazine</a> with the headline <span class="hcn-magtitle">Saved by the hair of a bear</span>.</p> </p></div> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info/issues/issue-60/saved-by-the-hair-of-a-bear/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info Country News&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/www.hcn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/cropped-HCN_Logo-Monogram_White_Sq-2.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;quality=100&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=122146&amp;amp;ga4=G-0NS3WVPPTN&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info/issues/issue-60/saved-by-the-hair-of-a-bear/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/hcn.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p> Copy to Clipboard

1