Information gathered from over four decades of 

interagency research and monitoring, led by the 

USGS, was used to determine that grizzly bears in 

the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have recovered 

to the point that federal protections under the 

Endangered Species Act are no longer needed.

Biological and Ecological Science for

Montana“The Treasure State”

Montana is rich in minerals, energy, and soils,

as well as prairies, forests, mountains, rivers, 

lakes, fish, and wildlife. Many enterprises 

that drive the economy are based on natural 

resources, including 

tourism, hunting, 

fishing, agriculture, and 

energy development. 

The outdoor-recreation 

economy alone supports 

64,000 Montana jobs 

and generates nearly 

$6 billion each year in 

economic activity. 

The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Ecosystems Mission 

Area, the biological research arm of the Department 

of the Interior, provides science to help Montana 

achieve sustainable management and conservation of 

its biological resources and the ecosystems that sustain 

these resources. This work is done within the broader 

mission of the USGS — to serve the Nation with

science that advances understanding of our natural 

resources, informs land and water stewardship, 

and helps safeguard communities from natural and 

environmental hazards. 

Wildlife Disease and Livestock

About 2.5 million head of cattle graze Montana 

pastures, an indication of the importance of the 

livestock industry to the State’s economy. Brucellosis 

is a bacterial infection that has the potential to 

spread from wild ungulates to livestock and cause 

spontaneous abortions in infected bison, cattle, 

and elk. The USGS helps understand transmission 

possibilities from wildlife to livestock, including 

information about the presence of the disease in elk 

and possible spread to cattle.

An Energy Powerhouse

 Montana’s vast energy resources for 

bioenergy, coal, geothermal, hydroelectricity, 

oil, natural gas, and wind allow for production 

of significant State and regional supplies. The 

USGS supports this industry by providing 

the management tools, risk assessments, and 

scenario planning to help develop these energy 

resources in a manner that minimizes impacts 

to fish, wildlife, and other living resources 

while maximizing energy production.

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2017–3052

August 2017 Printed on recycled paper
Angling is a significant contributor to Montana's 

$7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy.

In 2016, larvae of zebra or quagga mussels 

were initially detected in Montana in two 

reservoirs, resulting in emergency restrictions 

on boat and dock launching and other rapid 

containment responses. 

Zebra and Quagga Mussels 

Have Arrived

 The potential economic effect of a large 

infestation of zebra or quagga mussels in 

Montana is in the hundreds of millions of 

dollars, with negative repercussions for 

agriculture, hydropower facilities, drinkingwater supplies, and recreation. The USGS 

develops and customizes tools for mussel 

detection, provides laboratory and field 

protocols for monitoring, and develops 

criteria to assess levels of risk.

Small Parasites Can Have Big Fisheries Effects

In 2016, a closure of almost 200 miles of the Yellowstone River and its tributaries to 

recreation caused a significant economic impact to local river-dependent businesses. The 

closure happened because of a fish die-off caused by proliferative kidney disease (PKD) 

associated with a small parasite that damages fish kidneys. The USGS is developing 

techniques for early detection of the parasite, documenting the parasite’s distribution, and 

helping managers predict the conditions that are likely to result in die-offs. 

Informing Management of a Blue-Ribbon Trout Fishery

 A 59-mile stretch of the spectacular Smith River in central Montana is so popular 

for trout fishing and boating that a lottery system is used to protect the fishery 

and recreational experience. USGS science, conducted in collaboration with State 

scientists, shows that major Smith River tributaries are important spawning and 

nursery areas for trout, and is guiding State efforts to identify and manage critical 

fish habitats. 

Gray Wolf Watch

The USGS helped the State develop a program to 

monitor wolf abundance that produced information 

used in the decision to Federally delist Montana wolf 

populations. Wolf numbers are now managed in 

Montana with harvest. USGS helped the State adapt 

monitoring procedures to accommodate changes 

in wolf behavior once harvest began, as well as to 

account for the larger number and wider distribution 

of wolves in the State.

Mixing Old and New in Tribal Forest 

Management

Tribal communities in Montana use both traditional 

knowledge and current scientific approaches to promote 

healthy forest ecosystems, sustain culturally important 

resources, and manage fire risks in a contemporary 

landscape. The USGS collaborates with Montana Tribes 

to understand the effects of fire, traditional management 

practices, other human influences, and climate in order to 

reduce fire risks now and predict future vulnerabilities.

USGS science helps Montana manage 

wolves in line with the State’s 

intention to balance multiple factors, 

including abundance of ungulates, 

livestock operations, and a viable 

wolf population.

ISSN 2327-6916 (print)

ISSN 2327-6932 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20173052

Author: U.S. Geological Survey

For more information: Ecosystems Mission Area

https://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/

https://www.usgs.gov/ask/

1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747)

Photograph credits:

Grizzly bear, Jake Davis

Fisherman, Al Zale, Montana Cooperative 

Fishery Research Unit

Gray wolf, Gary Kramer, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service

All other images ©iStock.com

Publishing support provided by the 

U.S. Geological Survey, Science Publishing Network 

Tacoma Publishing Service Center

Design: William Gibbs