Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

MISSOULA- Facing the potential of dangerous human-wildlife encounters, the Lolo National Forest issued a revised food storage order.

"We know that unattended food or attractants, or food that is not stored properly, often leads to an encounter with wildlife - whether that is a deer or a black bear or a grizzly bear," said Lolo National Forest wildlife biologist Lorraine Brewer. "And when you have a wild animal and a human in that situation you have the potential for harm to both - food storage is the best and easiest way to address something that is entirely preventable."

The new order requires storage of food in a "bear-resistant manner" - meaning food must be stored so that a bear can either not reach the food or not access it if it is stored in a container. Some areas of the Lolo National Forest, such as Seeley Lake Ranger District, had a similar food storage order in place for several years to reduce the potential for wildlife-human encounters. In some limited backcountry areas on the Ninemile and Seeley Lake Ranger Districts during the night food may be attended instead of stored.

The new order also requires that animal carcasses that are within a half-mile of camp at night be stored in a bear resistant way.

"We have asked the public to store their food in the past and we've had some very positive response to that," Austin said. "But the last several years, with increased bear incidents at campgrounds and with grizzly bears more common across the Lolo, we recognize that in the interest of public safety we have to take the next step and require food storage. It's the right thing to do at the right time - and we have a responsibility to recognize the public safety aspect of this issue."