Where the Grizzly Walks

Admired for its majesty and often feared for its strength, speed, and supposed aggressiveness, the grizzly bear was once unchallenged as the great apex predator of the American West. But by the 1970s, hunting and habitat loss had reduced its numbers in the lower 48 states to a mere 800 animals occupying just two percent of the bear's former range. Where the Grizzly Walks assesses the bear's current status and its uncertain future at the beginning of the 21st century. Focusing on the wildlife professionals who struggle to achieve a balance among the varied interests of government agencies, private landowners, politicians, and environmentalists, the author illuminates the enormous challenges in making sensible public policy for the management of a high-profile, threatened species--and one of the last great symbols of the American wilderness.