For thousands of years, the grizzly bear, a magnificent and powerful keystone species, has roamed the forests and mountains of the western United States, representing an integral part of the Rocky Mountain ecosystem. However, as of 2023, they have been extirpated from 98% of their original habitat, and the Northern Rocky Mountains–including the Greater Yellowstone Region and Glacier National Park–represent one of their last remaining strongholds. 

 

Federal, state, and tribal wildlife management agencies have made a concerted effort for many years to bolster grizzly bear populations and recover the species. However, despite many years of capturing grizzlies for management or research purposes, the collected health information is currently dispersed across the different agencies’ separately-stored datasets. This valuable information could harbor clues to health trends for grizzly bear populations, and amalgamating the chemical immobilization (anesthesia) records can help refine and define improved protocols for field operations, so it is imperative that it be gathered in one place for better use. 

 

This gap in knowledge could lead to the loss of valuable preventive measures in the face of a catastrophic disease outbreak. A systematic data-sharing effort is needed to help manage, mitigate, and prevent disease, as well as ensure smooth captures that can aid grizzly bear experts in their efforts to protect this invaluable species.