Do (not) Feed the Bears: The Fitful History of Wildlife and Tourists in Yellowstone

Do (not) Feed the Bears: The Fitful History of Wildlife and Tourists in Yellowstone
ISBN-10
0700614583
ISBN-13
9780700614585
Category
History
Pages
186
Language
English
Published
2006
Publisher
University Press of Kansas
Author
Alice Wondrak Biel

Description

The story of Yellowstone Park and its wildlife, particularly bears, is intrinsically intertwined with tourists. Since the park's inception, people have traveled there to view Old Faithful and see a bear. When national parks were new, feeding grizzly and black bears was part of the charm. But once roadside feedings were de rigueur for tourists, the exchanges turned out to be detrimental to both wildlife and humans. The animals became dependent on a foreign, unhealthy food source, and people were getting mauled. Over the course of her clarifying history, Biel writes with conviction about the influence of various park superintendents, bear-management strategies, and changing ecopolitical influences, particularly the economic impact of the tourist trade. Years of training the public to regard bears as neither cute nor cuddly but as wild animals magnificent in their own right and deserving respect appear to have improved the welfare of wildlife in the park. Yet each generation must be educated anew, and Biel's book is a valuable contribution to that effort. --Pamela Crossland copyright 2006 booklist

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