The Staggering Tourism Value of Each Bear in Yellowstone Park

In stock market lingo, it truly is a "Bear Market" in Yellowstone National Park.

PER-BEAR SIGHTING VALUE

According to my buddy Brett French, the Outdoor Editor of the Billings Gazette, a new study tries to estimate each bears' worth. Yellowstone National Park’s bear market is valued at between $6.9 million and $9.7 million!

GRIZZLIES ARE THE CASH KINGS

Brett tells us that the figures are based on a recently published study by researchers Leslie Richardson, of the National Park Service, and Aaron Enriquez, of the U.S. Geological Survey.

For grizzly bears the per-sighting value is $16. For black bears it's $14.

Doesn't sound like much? Remember, millions or tourists visit Yellowstone annually. So, aggregate annual sighting values are $6.9 million for black bears and $9.7 million for grizzly bears. And annual per-bear viewing values are $15,000 per black bear and  $46,000 per grizzly.

DO THE BEARS GET A COMMISSION?

Well, no. But putting a price on wildlife can help managers for tasks like assessing damages for illegally poached animals. State values for wildlife when assessing poaching fines vary widely. In Montana, Brett French says the value of a black bear is $1,000 and a grizzly $8,000. By comparison, Wyoming values black bears at $5,000 per animal and $25,000 for grizzlies.

Missoula-based grizzly advocate Chris Servheen, who served as the grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service for 35 years, was quoted in Brett's article as saying, “When you compare the value of seeing these animals and the multi-millions in tourist revenue that comes into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem every year because of the possibility of seeing animals like grizzlies, it shows how important these animals are alive."

And, conservation groups also regularly cite the value of wildlife viewing when arguing to protect large predators like grizzly bears and wolves.

READ MORE: Snapshot Montana: UM Explores Animal Behavior with Camera Traps

There are a lot more fascinating facts and figures in Brett French's Bear Econ 101 article that you can take a look at here.