Don't Feed Wildlife! (Even if it's Little.)

Ar Arctic Ground Squirrel poses in Denali.

I came across this article on twitter last night via @parkstraveler about the euthanization of yet another bear in Yellowstone National Park. She'd learned to associate the presence of people with the availability of food, and had become aggressive in her attempts to get it from them. This included venturing into a backcountry campsite and forcing a backpacker to give up his dinner. Five bears have been killed in Yellowstone this year, and the other most recent killing was through euthanization in June. It's depressing.


Those of us who enjoy the outdoors and wild places have a responsibility to protect them, and to leave them as we found them. This doesn't just mean avoiding tromping all over vegetation by venturing off established trails. It doesn't just mean disposing of the plastic water bottles or granola bar wrappers you use properly. It means having an inherent sense of respect for the outdoors, its inhabitants, and for others who revel in its beauty.

One of the best ways to see Denali National Park in the summer if you're short on time is through the Visitor Transportation System. There's one 92-mile road into Denali, only 15 miles of it are paved, and non-commercial vehicles are only allowed on the paved portion. The shuttle and tour busses, aside from human power, are your only option for park road travel. Tour bus drivers are certified driver-naturalists who can provide in-depth information about the park, its history, and its inhabitants.

With two full summers living in Denali, I had plenty of time to explore, but will never forget my first bus trip into the park. I was on a green shuttle bus bound for my first real Denali hike with new friend Emily. As the bus lurched forward and pulled on to the park road, one of the first things our driver made sure we knew was the importance of respecting wildlife. He told us he'd be glad to help us spot moose, bears, dall sheep, anything we could find, as long as we promised to be quiet, and to keep arms and cameras inside the bus. The wildlife, he told us, needed to be protected, and the best way to do that was to make sure our presence didn't affect them in any way. I was astounded that even an excited shout to other bus passengers could affect an animal.

Dall Sheep on the park road in autumn

One of the seven Leave No Trace principles is to respect wildlife. The article doesn't make it clear as to how the bear might have become so used to getting human food, but it's pretty unlikely visitors were hand-feeding her. Proper backcountry food storage and waste disposal are vital. Parks like Denali require all backcountry campers to carry food and other items that animals might mistake as food (toothpaste, deodorant, cough drops) in bear-resistant canisters. Campgrounds in Denali have bear-proof lockers and sheds for campers to store items in. It's as much for our own safety as it is for the animals.

We have to remember that we're visitors to their home, and approaching them for a better photo or a closer look can be incredibly stressful to them. If we're able to enjoy the outdoors without affecting its inhabitants, we'll all be much better off, and euthanized bear stories may be fewer and further between. The Leave No Trace website has some great resources on education and ways to minimize your impact on the outdoors, check 'em out!