This competition occasionally results in human-bear conflicts that may lead to the destruction of grizzly bears and much less often to the injury or death of humans. If the greater Yellowstone ecosystem maintains sufficient habitat to support a viable grizzly population, and if bear mortalities are minimized, especially those of breeding females, it should be possible to protect and recover this threatened population. Research is crucial to an effective, on-going wildlife management programs. Further developing our knowledge about bears and their behavior allows managers to make sound decisions that benefit wildlife, while accommodating appropriate human activities in bear habitat. Most units contain adequate food sources to support grizzly bears in these three seasons.
Scientists monitor bear reproduction and mortality to assess population trends.
These are the easiest segment of the population to find and identify each year. The average litter size has increased slightly since the mid-1970s, to just over two cubs per litter, which may indicate an improvement in the nutritional state of adult females. Although the population estimate seems very wide, it has met the statistical rigor and peer review required to be published in The Journal of Wildlife Management . A more precise count of bears would require expensive and invasive efforts to trap many more bears. Instead, scientists have tried to maximize efficiency and minimize the danger to themselves and to bears that goes along with catching bears.