Grizzly bears enjoy iconic status in the western United States, where they roam freely across large areas of the northern Rockies and Alaska. But recent headlines about bear attacks on humans have raised questions about whether grizzlies are moving into areas frequented by hikers, campers and residents. Experts say that's not the case. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Despite recent high-profile attacks by grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area, wildlife officials say human-bear encounters are not on the upswing, and that such events remain "very, very rare."

The most recent attacks occurred last week at a Gallatin National Forest campground east of Cooke City, Mont., near the northeastern corner of Yellowstone National Park (Land Letter, July 29).

It was the second fatal attack on humans by grizzlies in the Yellowstone region this year, after a botanist was mauled in June near his private cabin on the outskirts of the park.

But while the recent attacks have raised the specter of a surge in bear maulings, federal and state wildlife officials say there is no cause for concern.

"There's been no change in normal behavior, no increase in encounters and no movement into human-use areas," said Chris Servheen, the grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Officials acknowledge, however, that the latest Yellowstone attacks were unusual in that no food was found in the tent of the dead man or in the tents of the two injured victims. Grizzlies typically attack because of surprise encounters, to defend of their young, or to defend a food source. But none of those scenarios apply to last week's attacks. Go to story #1