A Mountain Railroad Spells Death for Grizzlies and Cubs March 23, 2004 By JIM ROBBINS WEST GLACIER, Mont. - Every day, trains climb a steep mountain corridor between the southern boundary of Glacier National Park and the northern boundary of the Great Bear Wilderness. The corridor is at the heart of the continent's wildest landscape, and it is prime bear habitat. In some 24-hour periods, up to 42 milelong trains use the line. Every once in a while, a grizzly runs or wanders onto the tracks and is hit by a locomotive. The threat to the grizzlies has fueled a dispute between the railroad, which says it has done all it can to protect the bears, and some wildlife experts, who say it should try harder. At least 32 bears, including 9 cubs, have been killed by trains since 1980. Three died last year. Dr. Chris Servheen, coordinator of the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Missoula, surmises that the tracks have claimed a disproportionately high number of grizzly cubs because the long trains split family groups. The trains are high enough for the bears to see one another beneath them, and "we think the cubs bolt across to get to mom and can't go fast enough to avoid getting killed," Dr. Servheen said. The number of killed grizzlies is likely to be higher than reported, experts said, because some may be knocked off the trestles, killed at night or remain uncounted because they have wandered away to die. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, which operates the line, says it has taken numerous measures to prevent the grizzlies, a federally protected species, from being killed. The steps include reducing grain spills that attract the bears and cleaning up the spills that do occur, removing dead animal carcasses from the tracks and, in some places, installing electric fences. The railroad says it is impossible to stop the killings completely, and it has applied for a federal "take permit" to legalize its actions. "The railroad has taken very effective steps," said Philip Crissman, director of the Great Northern Environmental Stewardship Area in Kalispell, a group that helps the railroad reduce bear deaths. "Can we totally stop it? That's wishful thinking." Some wildlife experts, however, are outraged. "If I applied for a permit to kill bears, they'd laugh in my face," Dr. Charles Jonkel, a grizzly biologist who is president of the Great Bear Foundation in Missoula, said. "If I killed one, I'd get a $10,000 fine and a year in jail." Dr. Servheen said poaching was different from killing a bear accidentally. "The railroad has made a lot of progress," he said. "It's not like they are trying to kill bears." Dr. Jonkel was deeply critical of the railroad when it spilled a large amount of grain in 1985, and trains killed at least eight grizzlies. He said rail executives informally agreed then on a 15 mile-an-hour speed limit. Company officials deny any such agreement and say that the limit is now 25 miles an hour, the lowest speed for the trains to travel safely. Lane Ross, a Burlington trainmaster in Whitefish, said speed did not really matter. "A grizzly bear is not afraid of a train," Mr. Ross said. "If one runs out in front of you, you're going to hit it, whether you are going 25 or 60." Part of the problem is that the tracks have become much busier. Up to 42 trains a day pass through, compared with up to 35 in the 1990's. Railroad executives say the corridor is so critical to interstate and international commerce that when an avalanche blocked it this year, trains were backed up to Minneapolis to the east and Seattle to the west. The success of the Endangered Species Act has also meant an increase in bear numbers - and more bears on the tracks. Grizzlies are reclusive and difficult to count, but their numbers in the area are roughly estimated at 500. Railroad aides concede that they were originally lax about grain spills. In 1985, workers buried the spilled grain. Wet from snow, it fermented, and the rich aroma attracted many black and grizzly bears. Many bears became drunk and tottered out to the tracks. Dr. Jonkel said he believed that the spill set the stage for future deaths. "The mother grizzly bears teach their cubs, and they keep coming back, even if it's gone," he said. Bear experts at the state's Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks have installed motion-activated alarms, "critter gitters," at the ends of train trestles over steep valleys. The alarms emit high-pitched shrieks, trying to keep bears away. Despite the efforts, bears continue dying. "We are asking people to provide us with ideas on ways to prevent collisions," said Tim Bodurtha, the biologist at the Fish and Wildlife Service who is writing the plan. But officials expect the railroad to have its "take permit" by next spring. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/23/science/23BEAR.html?ex=1081065920&ei=1&en=0a62db5cdf7fe12e
What a crock of poop. These animal rights folks think that you can completely avoid killing bears? Not without stopping the trains, allowing the bears to cross, and resuming travel. Expensive, and on grades, dangerous. Wishful thinking, to say the least! Sure the railroad can install culverts for the bears to cross under the tracks (ka-ching!), but who's paying for it? The bears? Nope. The animal rights folks? I think not. The railroad? They have better things to do with their money. It's not like the railroad is INTENTIONALLY killing grizzlies. 200-300 pound bear vs. 10000-ton trains. You do the math! (plink, plink)
Maybe I'll rethink that decision of possibly transferring to Great Falls, MT.... Although, I'll bet the railfanning is pretty good. Ken? Have you any knowledge on Great Falls?
Actually, you'd probably enjoy one aspect. Being in the vicinity of the old High Line. Fall colors on Marias Pass...... A few scenic locations...... Can't tell you much about life around Malmstrom. Boxcab E50
32 bears since 1980! That's 1.3 bears a year. Does not sound like a problem to me. More bears are probably struck by lightning in a year. [ 24. March 2004, 17:57: Message edited by: Don Rickle ]
we kill more people a year than that in grade crossing accidents.Just proves Bears are smarter than people i guess.Why don't these idiots waste their time trying to figure out that problem?
The AFB is on the SE side of Great Falls. If wanting to head straight for the Pass, fastest route is out of GF on Hwy 89 to HWY 2 at Browning. Then head west about 25 miles to Summit. Once west of Browning, you'll be entering the area where the foamers congregate. Otherwise you can head straight north to Shelby on Hwy 15, then turn west on Hwy 2. This adds about 40 miles to the journey. But somewhat follows the RR north from GF to the old High Line. Boxcab E50
Got a question: How many deer, elk, raccoons, etc. are killed by trains in the same area? Why no tears shed for them? Don't get me wrong- I would rather not see any animals killed by trains, but it unfortunately happens. What say we ask the engine crews on the Alaska Railroad the number of moose killed by trains per year? 1 bear a year doesn't sound that bloody to me, even though it is regrettable (if not avoidable). The flap the bunny-huggers are raising remind me of a quote by Benjamin Disraeli- "There are three kinds of lies- lies, damned lies, and statistics."
And the racoons are so cuuuute! To avoid turning this into a political flame war, I'll keep silent of my other comments.... 3 Kinds of lies?
God forbid if a train killed a spotted owl here in Oregon. The state gummint would be tearing up the tracks.
Sick, isn't it? Amazing how far we have gone from a society that cared, to a society that's full of activists and extremists...
" 3 kinds of lies?" Yep, that's how the quote goes.....but, you being in the service of Uncle Sam, you've probably heard more n' that, but that's another story..... Anywho, as I said, I hate to see animals get killed accidentally as much as the next guy- heck, I winced when I hit that jackrabbit one night coming home from work- but that's normal human nature. I didn't raise a fuss about it, nor did I go back & try to save its little life (imagine me, by the side of the road in the middle of the night in Texas, doing CPR on a bunny rabbit.... ).Little bun-bun was either slow or had bad timing. I'm sure BNSF has done all it can do- I figure 1 bear killed per year ain't bad. In the words of another great philosopher (and sanitized for posting), crap happens.
What is wrong with requiring installation of overpasses/underpasses? The cost is minimal considering how few grizzlies actually still exist. Look at Canada, they have and are continuing to install overpasses/underpasses through the Banff National Park. They highway that passes through the park was once known as the 'meat maker.' Since installation of these structures has begun, animal kills have been reduced by almost 90%. [ 18. January 2005, 18:21: Message edited by: pseudocajun ]
Welcome aboard!!! While I'm not a 'bunny hugger', nor a cold-blooded animal hater, I know that requiring installation of the underpasses would go over like a fart in a Wyoming windstorm. The RR's would fight it, since it would require them to spend money badly needed for capacity and other improvements. If the fed'l govm't would assist in funding such installations (which it likely won't), maybe it would not be such a bad idea, and the RR's would cooperate more. As stated, I'm think BNSF has done about all it can do, without spending more money. Besides, can bears read? Will signs directing animals to the nearest underpass be effective? Fencing will cost too much, and who's gonna pay for it? BNSF can't afford to fence both sides of their right-of-way for most of Montana, Idaho, and Washington.. [ 19. January 2005, 02:41: Message edited by: HemiAdda2d ]
Believe it or not, but asphalt turtle crossings were actually installed at BNSF's Logistics Park yard near a little pond. They are about two feet wide and span the rails like a mini road crossing. The concept is nice, but tell me how the heck a turtle would know to use them! I just can't imagine a turtle thinking " hmm, about 300 feet away I think I see my own private crossing, I'd better cross there".
Actually, I doubt a fence will stop a determined grizzly, anyway. I've seen Alaskan black bears simply stick their noses under the fence and lift to get under it. Grizzlies, being larger, might not even bother to do that. Pat
