Friday, February 26th, 2010

Grizzly Bears Moving Into New Territory

A grizzly bear spotted in polar bear habitat in Manitoba. Photo by Linda Gormezano.

Polar bears coming to shore this summer when the ice melts on the Hudson Bay may find a few new neighbors -- grizzly bears. Recently, biologists have spotted grizzlies moving into in Canada’s Wapusk National Park, and into the province of Manitoba, where they were not thought to exist anymore. Researchers report that between 1996 and 2008 they found nine confirmed sightings of grizzly bears. The summer of 2009 brought three additional observations. We'll talk with a member of the research team, and take a look at why grizzlies are invading polar bear turf. Will polar bears just grin and bear it as their neighborhood goes south?