CODY, Wyo. (AP) - The continuing drought, a poor crop of whitebark pine cones and hungry bears could mean trouble for both bears and people according to Shoshone National Forest wildlife biologists.
Wildlife Biologist Mark Hinschberger said because of the low crop of whitebark pine cones there could be an increase in bear-human conflicts this fall.
Nuts found in whitebark pine cones are one of the major food sources for bears.
In a good year a single whitebark pine will produce scores of cones, but this year a pine cone survey done by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team found that trees have produced an average of only 2.4 cones per tree.
Forest biologists say they aren't sure what caused the poor cone crop.
"This is bad news," said Grizzly Bear Biologist Kim Barber. "Research has shown that when whitebark pine cone numbers are low, human-bear encounters increase."
"Bears are hungry and looking for food wherever they can find it," Barber said.
Forest officials are urging hunters and other forest users to be extra careful in the woods because of possible increased bear activity.
"We are asking all forest users to voluntarily comply with the food storage order, even in areas where the order has not been officially implemented," Barber said.
Barber said the one bright spot is that this is a good year for army cutworm moths, another important food for bears.
