Human–Wildlife Interactions 12(3):348–372, Winter 2018 • digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi Conservation of threatened Canada-USA trans-border grizzly bears linked to comprehensive confict reduction Michael F. Proctor, Birchdale Ecological Ltd., P.O. Box 606, Kaslo, B.C., V0G 1M0, Canada Wayne F. Kasworm, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 385 Fish Hatchery Road, Libby, MT 59923, USA Kimberly M. Annis, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 385 Fish Hatchery Road, Libby, MT 59923, USA A. Grant MacHutchon, 817 Mill St., Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4S8, Canada Justin E. Teisberg, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 385 Fish Hatchery Road, Libby, MT 59923, USA Thomas G. Radandt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 385 Fish Hatchery Road, Libby, MT 59923, USA Chris Servheen, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, 309 University Hall, Missoula, MT 59812, USA Abstract: Mortality resulting from human–wildlife conficts afects wildlife populations globally. Since 2004, we have been researching conservation issues and implementing a comprehensive program to reduce human–bear conficts (Ursus spp.; HBC) for 3 small, fragmented, and threatened grizzly bear (U. arctos) populations in the trans-border region of southwest Canada and northwest USA. We explored the temporal and spatial patterns of confict mortality and found that HBC contributed signifcantly to the threatened status of these populations by causing decline, fragmentation, and decreased habitat efectiveness. Our program to reduce HBCs primarily included strategic private lands purchased to reduce human density in wildlife corridors, the reduction of bear attractants where human settlement and agriculture exists, and the nonlethal management of confict bears. Attractant management strategies encompassed public education, cost-share electric fencing, bear-resistant garbage containers, and deadstock containment. We taught bear safety courses and bear spray training to increase tolerance and give people tools to avoid negative encounters with bears. We radio-collared and used nonlethal management on potential confict bears and have a ~75% success rate in that the bear was alive and out of confict situations over the life of the radio- collar. We identifed important backcountry grizzly bear foraging habitat for motorized access control to reduce confict and mortality and provide habitat security to reproductive females. Ongoing monitoring has demonstrated that our comprehensive HBC program has resulted in a signifcant reduction in human-caused mortality, increased inter-population connectivity, and improved habitat efectiveness. Several challenges remain, however, including an increase in the numbers of young grizzly bears living adjacent to agricultural areas. Herein we discuss strategies for how to integrate conservation vision into future HBC reduction programs. Key words: confict, connectivity, grizzly bear, human–bear confict, human-caused mortality, trans-border, Ursus arctos Human–wildlife conflicts are the pro- ximate cause of many conservation issues around the world (Treves and Karanth 2003, Distefano 2005, Can et al. 2014). As the human footprint expands, we move deeper into what was previously wildlife habitat (Sanderson et al. 2002, Venter et al. 2016). In many areas, natural wildlife habitat now exists in a mosaic with rural human-dominated landscapes. Wildlife may beneft in the short-term from access to human-based foods, either agricultural products directly, or stored human foods (Can et al. 2014). However, these situations often result in conficts as human livelihoods are impacted and the ofending wildlife are killed. Beyond the immediacy of the conficts themselves, long- term conficts can impact the conservation of wildlife species, resulting in population decline, range contraction, and loss of inter-population connectivity (Distefano 2005). We began working in an area where such a scenario was playing out; long-term human