At eight feet tall and 700 pounds, the grizzly bear is one of the largest land predators in the world. Yet the survival of this massive mammal may rest on a single sheet of paper with a thin coating of colored ink.
All it would take is one photograph to jumpstart grizzly bear conservation efforts in the North Cascades, said Chris Morgan, head of the Grizzly Bear Outreach Program. Morgan is also the driving force behind several bear documentaries, including Beartrek, which chronicles his motorcycle trip around the world in search of the rarest bears.
Morgan's grizzly bear enthusiasm is infectious.
"If we were to get one photograph, it would be my career highlight," he said.
According to Morgan, there is a debate over whether there are actually grizzlies inhabiting the Washington Cascades or not, and a photo is the best way to prove there are.
"That one picture of a grizzly bear will help tip the balance of the doubters," Morgan continued. "If there's one, there's no more proof needed."
Without photographic evidence that grizzly bears still inhabit the North Cascades, it will be impossible to garner enough public support to introduce new bears and save the population. Without the addition of new bears, the grizzly bears of the Pacific Northwest will soon be gone, and with them an important part of what makes Northwest wildlife wild.
Since the 1800s, the grizzly population of the Pacific Northwest has dwindled to almost nothing. Grizzly bears were slaughtered both for their hide and out of fear that they would attack and kill people and livestock. According to the Outreach Program, the estimated resident population in the North Cascades of Washington is 5 to 20 bears.
A study by a group from Washington State University attempted to determine the population density of grizzly bears in the North Cascades. The study began in 1998 and concluded in 2000. In order to collect grizzly hair, a single strand of barbed wire was strung between two trees and a scent lure smelling of rotten meant was placed nearby. When the bears passed beneath the wire, strands of their hair caught in the barbs and could later be recovered. After three years of data collection, the study was only able to recover one grizzly bear hair.
The most recent grizzly bear sighting near the North Cascade recovery zone occurred in May of 2003 in Chesaw, Wash. A rancher witnessed a grizzly walking across his property, and a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist confirmed the sighting through footprint and scat analysis.
Since the grizzly bear population in the North Cascades is so depleted, the species won't be able to recover without the addition of new bears, a process known as augmentation.
According to the North Cascades Conservation Council, a group dedicated to protecting the North Cascade wilderness, some of the necessary steps leading up to augmentation have already taken place. Beginning in 1975, the grizzly population was listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and in 1991, the Washington State North Cascades were designated a recovery zone for grizzlies.
The next step in the augmentation process is an Environmental Impact Survey. While Morgan said the survey will cost roughly $1 million, it will detail all of the possible outcomes of introducing new grizzlies to the population, as well as what would happen if the population was left on its own.
The Conservation Council states that the need for the survey has been recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but that proper funding has not been generated.
Along with public support and funding, the grizzly cause needs political backing and a voice to speak out against large organizations pushing to delay or halt grizzly bear recovery.
David Knibb's book Grizzly Wars chronicles the fight for grizzly recovery in the United States. It details some of the more outspoken organizations that have rallied against grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades.
The Washington Cattlemen's Association stated that they were worried about an increased grizzly bear population killing cows, Knibb said. Ranchers were worried because grizzlies protected under the Endangered Species Act are exempt from slaughter, except in cases of self-defense.
Knibb also said logging companies in Washington were worried about hungry bears attacking their loggers.
Conversely, Northwest Trek bear keeper Angela Gibson noted that despite extensive research, she was unable to find any reports of a grizzly bear killing a person in Washington.
Many of the opposing organizations also argue that it is pointless to try and save a species that can't be found. The president of the Cattlemen's Association found it inappropriate to entertain the idea of introducing new grizzly bears without confirmation of a current population, according to Knibb.
A photo would confirm bears are still living in the North Cascades, and place an end to the argument that you can't save something that doesn't exist.
"Some politicians don't believe there are bears out there, but once we show them there are, they'll be on our side," Morgan said.
According to Morgan, grizzlies are a keystone species, and thus they are a living yardstick for the health of the Pacific Northwest. Protecting a keystone species means indirectly protecting a large number of other species within the ecosystem as well.
Grizzlies are omnivores and eat a wide variety of plants and animals. If a healthy grizzly population falters, it is a good indication that something else within the ecosystem is faltering as well and may require ecological attention.
Along with being a keystone species, bears are big contributors in keeping an ecosystem healthy. They often knock down trees and branches, providing food and shelter for ground dwelling animals that wouldn't otherwise be able to reach them, Gibson said.
Additionally, Morgan compared grizzly bears to a walking fertilizer factory. Especially in an area where soil quality is poor, grizzlies assist growth by eating large amounts of plants and other nutrient-rich food. The nutrients are then re-deposited through the bear's scat. More bears equals better transference of nutrients into the soil.
Just how much of an effect an increased grizzly population will have on the ecosystem is yet to be determined.
"No one has monitored the effects that have evolved without the bears here," Morgan said. "The ecosystem likely won't collapse without the bears, but it will be much healthier with them."
Conservation Northwest is one of the leading organizations working toward grizzly bear recovery. They have volunteers who place seasonal cameras in wildlife-rich areas with the hopes of capturing a photo of animals as they pass by.
The cameras are mounted in locations that are believed to be high traffic areas because of recent, yet often unconfirmed, grizzly sightings. A scent lure is placed near the camera to attract grizzlies and an infrared beam detects movement, setting off the camera whenever the beam is interrupted. Teams periodically trek to the cameras to collect and replace the memory cards inside.
Volunteer Lindsay Welfelt set up cameras in June 2008. She said it is important the bears are saved, especially since the main reason for the grizzly bear decline was deliberate killing by people.
"I think that conservation efforts are a good way to remediate killing and show that maybe we're learned from our mistakes," Welfelt said. "The public lacks exposure to the problem. If more people knew about it, maybe more would care."
Morgan said bringing more attention to the issue and getting people involved is the most important task. However, he stressed he doesn't want to cram grizzly bears down anyone's throat. The Outreach Program's Web site is to inform only, not to advocate one way or another.
The more people know about grizzlies, he said, the better.
"People will start to carry decent cameras and learn about bear signs," Morgan said. One picture will lead to more, and people will help spread the word about grizzlies.
Morgan is departing for Alaska in June to begin filming another documentary for PBS about Alaska's bears, including the grizzly. Despite his upcoming adventure, he can't help but reiterate the importance of photographing a grizzly in the North Cascades.
"It would be a huge media moment," he said. "We could finally say, 'Here is the elusive grizzly, no longer a myth!'"
Wes Simons studies creative writing. This is his first published piece.