wildlife

Colorado is distributing $1 million across the state to fund projects designed to lower the number of run-ins between humans and hungry black bears seeking trashcan meals.

The Post Creek Hill Project was one of three projects planned about 5 years ago along a 10-mile stretch of Highway 93 from north of St. Ignatius through the Ninepipe Wildlife Management Area.

The director of the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife this week authorized the “incremental” killing of wolves in southeastern Washington with a goal to stop attacks on livestock.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens captured and euthanized 14 black bears near Bozeman after investigators found animals that were “extremely food conditioned."

A Missoula judge has ruled that a Blackfoot Valley gravel pit permit should be completely eliminated.

Dave Stalling writes, "It makes no sense to say we are protecting grizzly bears while allowing the landscapes they depend on to disappear."

After rejecting two citizen petitions for rules to possibly protect predators, the Fish and Wildlife Commission has voted to develop an agency predator management policy.

An act introduced by Rep. Ryan Zinke focused on the Blackfoot watershed drew enthusiastic praise from Missoula County this week, which called it a “balanced, modern approach” to land management.

Katie Bilodeau and Gary Macfarlane write, "Even the status quo loses our roadless wildlands inventory with degradation by a thousand cuts. Demand a better alternative that closes the industrial logging and livestock grazing loopholes that have existed for a quarter century, and will protect from the motorized and mechanized destruction on the horizon."

Individuals and industries may kill endangered animals in the course of logging projects, developments and other activities, it said — so long as the activity’s purpose isn’t killing species.