Posted for Jeff Tollefson

The US Geological Survey this week released its results from a five-year grizzly bear study maligned by Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, and the people that one would expect McCain to represent are quite pleased.

It turns out that an isolated population of grizzly bears in northwest Montana is doing much better than previously believed; after completing a DNA analysis of grizzly bear hair samples and then running a statistical analysis, the USGS came up with a figure of 765 bears, compared to previous estimates of 200-300.

The study will surely be cited as evidence that all is well by those who are arguing that it’s time to remove the bear from the threatened species list, a program that has long been criticized by many Republicans as overly burdensome. The Associated Press cited the Montana Farm Bureau making that exact point; AP says it was unable to get a response from the McCain campaign.

USGS based its analysis on samples taken from what they call “barbed wire hair traps” and “natural rub trees.” Scientists build the former by stringing barbed wire around a series of trees at knee height and then placing something smelly in the centre. When bears came through to investigate, they would kindly leave a hair sample or two. Natural rub trees are just that: trees on which bears chose to rub their back.

McCain has long opposed wasteful government spending, particularly in the form of “earmark” projects that are secured by members of Congress. Funding for the grizzly bear project was requested by members of the Montana delegation, but it’s not entirely clear why McCain disdains the project as much as he does.

To see the bears in action while listening to lead researcher Kate Kendall discuss the project, check YouTube.

Image: USFWS