In mid-summer, some grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will trek to high elevation rock fields. Underneath these rocks, army cutworm moths will gather. For grizzlies, black bears and other animals, the moths provide a high-calorie meal. They are such an attraction that several bears may congregate on one slope to feed, often fairly close to each other. Some of these places are easier to get to and folks are trekking up to see the bears, or bumping into them while hiking to a peak. So the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming is studying ways to ensure bears and humans are not colliding in the backcountry. To learn more about this unusual feeding behavior, check out my story at https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/forest-studies-human-pressure-on-grizzly-bear-high-elevation-feeding-sites-where-moths-congregate/article_007dab98-679c-560c-9de2-7a41fb028a99.html

Written by Brett French | Outdoors Editor for Billings Gazette Communications