WOMAN: OUCH.

SON OF A [BLEEP].

[GRUNTS] COME HERE, MAMA.

COME HERE.

SO DURANGO SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF LA PLATA COUNTY, AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN LA PLATA COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED A 4-FOLD INCREASE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, YOU PUT THAT CRITTER ON THIS LANDSCAPE, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF SET UP THIS PERFECT STORM REALLY FOR LOTS OF CONFLICTS AND INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE.

THE BEAR SIGHTINGS CONTINUE IN DURANGO.

THE BEAR MANAGED TO GET INSIDE, BUSTED HIS WAY OUT AND TRY TO TAKE THE GARBAGE CAN WITH HIM.

MAN: EVEN THE BEARS IN OUR STATE LOVE SUBARUS.

WOMAN: BUT ACTUALLY SEEING IT IN MY CAR, I WAS LIKE, "WELL, I'M REALLY NOT GOING TO WORK TODAY."

UNFORTUNATELY, ALI SMITH DOES NOT HAVE COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE, SO THAT BEAR DAMAGE WILL NOT BE COVERED BY INSURANCE.

A COLORADO WOMAN TURNED INTO A MAMA BEAR WHEN A REAL BEAR GOT REALLY CLOSE TO HER TWO YOUNG SONS.

WOMAN: I'VE NEVER BEEN AFRAID OF A BEAR BEFORE, BUT I AM NOW AFRAID OF BEARS.

MAN: LOOK CLOSELY.

THE BEAR HAS A GREEN TAG IN ITS EAR.

THAT IS NOT A GOOD SIGN.

THAT INDICATES THE BEAR HAS ONE STRIKE.

COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE TYPICALLY PUT DOWN THE ANIMALS WITH TWO STRIKES.

WITNESSES SAY YOU DEFINITELY TELL THE BEAR WAS DISTRESSED.

VALLEZ: IT IS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF BEAR ENCOUNTERS IN THE DURANGO AREA.

MAN: HE'S GOING RIGHT UP TO THE FRONT DOOR.

VALLEZ: ALL THE BEARS FOR THE SAME THING--FOOD.

[NOTES PLAY] [CROSSING SIGNAL DINGING] [TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING] WOMAN: SO WE'RE IN DURANGO, COLORADO, WHICH IS A TOWN THAT THAT SITS RIGHT THE BASE OF THE ANIMAS VALLEY, AND SO YOU'RE KIND OF AT THIS GATEWAY WHERE YOU HAVE THIS BIG MOUNTAINS FROM THE SAN JUAN COMING DOWN AND THEN KIND OF SPILLING OUT INTO MORE DESERT COUNTRY.

IT'S GREAT BEAR HABITAT.

IT'S ALSO A TOWN THAT'S GROWING PRETTY RAPIDLY.

WITH ALL THAT DEVELOPMENT COMES GARBAGE AND FRUIT TREES, BIRD FEEDERS.

ALL THESE EXTRA RESOURCES SPREAD OUT ON THE LANDSCAPE.

MAN: GO ON!

GET OUT OF HERE!

WOMAN: AND BEARS ARE EVOLVED TO BE THIS FOOD-FINDING MACHINE.

DIFFERENT WOMAN: AAH!

OH, MY... [HONKING HORN] FREAKING BEAR.

DUSTY: I DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET YOU INTRODUCING YOURSELF.

WOMAN: OH, YEAH.

I'M HEATHER JOHNSON.

I'M A WILDLIFE RESEARCHER WITH COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE.

SO THESE ARE THIS IS WHERE THE BEAR YESTERDAY HAS BEEN-- HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR.

SO HERE'S DOWNTOWN DURANGO.

SO BEAR-HUMAN CONFLICTS HAVE BEEN REALLY ALMOST EXPONENTIALLY INCREASING IN COLORADO, AND SO THIS PROJECT'S REALLY BEEN SET UP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S DRIVING THAT PATTERN.

FOR ME, I'M IN THIS BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO SEE US FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST MANAGE AND CONSERVE WILDLIFE SO THAT THESE POPULATIONS DO PERSIST INTO THE FUTURE, GIVEN ALL THE THREATS THAT-- THREATS TO THE LANDSCAPE THAT ARE CURRENTLY HAPPENING.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.

MAN: WHEN THEY DECIDED TO DO A BEAR STUDY, THEY LOOKED UP WHO KILLED THE MOST BEARS.

I HAD HARVESTED A BEAR EVERY YEAR I HUNTED A BEAR.

HEATHER: LYLE WILLMARTH HAS CAUGHT MORE BEARS IN COLORADO THAN ANYBODY HAS.

LYLE TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING ABOUT TRAPPING BEARS.

WE CAME UP WITH NEW TRAPS, NEW TECHNIQUES, AND EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE HERE, THIS PROJECT IS AS MUCH AS LYLE'S AS IT IS MINE.

LYLE: THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO RETIRE.

MOVED DOWN HERE, AND HEATHER CAUGHT ME.

THAT'S HOW I LOST THE TIP OF THIS FINGER.

HEATHER: HA HA HA!

DUSTY: WAIT.

HOW DID YOU LOSE IT?

WHAT WAS THAT?

OK. [LAUGHTER] THE GOAL HERE IS TO MAKE THE WAY WE MANAGE BEARS MUCH MORE DATA-DRIVEN AND SCIENCE-DRIVEN.

IT'S REALLY BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IF WE WANT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW TO BEST MANAGE AND CONSERVE THESE POPULATIONS INTO THE FUTURE.

MAN: THE DURANGO STUDY IS LIKE THE NEXT STEP IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BEARS, AND MAYBE THE NEXT SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS MIGHT COME FROM STUFF WE LEARN FROM HERE.

HEATHER: SO TO GET INFORMATION ON BEAR BEHAVIOR AND BEAR POPULATION DYNAMICS, WE PUT A LOT OF COLLARS ON BEARS TO TRACK THEM.

WE CHECK WHERE THEY GO, WHAT THEY DO.

THEN HOW THOSE DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR PATTERNS DRIVE CHANGES IN THINGS LIKE SURVIVAL AND REPRODUCTION, AND IN THE WINTER, THEN WE'RE DOING ALL THE DEN CHECKS.

SO THE BEARS COLLAR'S EMITTING A TELEMETRY SIGNAL.

SO WE CAN USE A RECEIVER TO FIND WHERE THE BEAR IS AND EXACTLY WHERE SHE'S DENNED, WHETHER IT'S JUST IN THE GROUND OR UNDER A ROCK OR A BOULDER.

[QUIETLY] PUT THAT DOWN IN THERE WITH THE SHOVEL.

HEATHER: SO WE GET THE DRUGS PREPPED.

DAVE: WE WALK UP TO THE DEN.

TRY TO GET THE BEAR STUCK AS QUICK AS WE CAN.

AND THEN CLOSE IT UP WITH BACKPACKS, SO...

SOMETIMES IT GOES SMOOTH, AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T, SO...

SO IT'S EXCITING, I GUESS.

MAN: I MEAN, IF SHE REALLY WANTS TO GO, YOU CAN JUST SPIDER-MAN THE WALLS, AND SHE CAN GO UNDER YOU.

[BLEEP] ME.

OH, SHE'S DOING SOMETHING.

DAVE: NICE SHOT.

HEATHER: THE FIRST YEAR I WAS DOING THIS WORK AND CRAWLING INTO A DARK HOLE TO SEE A CRITTER THAT'S BIGGER THAN I AM, I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY CRAZY, AND I HAD A LOT OF NIGHTMARES, BUT NOW WE'VE DONE THIS-- THIS IS THE FOURTH SEASON, AND NOW IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY.

WE DON'T THINK TWICE ABOUT IT.

SAME OLD THING.

HEATHER: AND THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY COLLECT ALL OF OUR DATA-- BODY SIZE, WEIGHT, BLOOD SAMPLES, AND HAIR SAMPLES.

MAN: AND CHANGE OUT THE BATTERY ON THEIR COLLAR...

PUT THEM BACK IN.

SO WE'LL JUST BE REALLY CAREFUL OF THEIR FACES SINCE THEY'RE RIGHT WHERE OUR FEET ARE GOING.

CODY: MOM'S EARS ARE PERKING UP.

DUSTY: OH, MY GOSH.

DUSTY IN A BEAR DEN WITH TWO BEARS.

TANA: HA HA!

HEATHER: I MEAN, TO GET TO GET TO CRAWL INTO A BEAR DEN, HOLD AND STICK A BABY CUB IN YOUR JACKET... THOSE ARE EXPERIENCES THAT ARE PRETTY ADDICTIVE.

LYLE: AT ONE POINT, HEATHER SAID, "LYLE, DO YOU REALIZE EVERY BEAR WE WENT TO "THAT HAD CUBS THERE'S A PICTURE OF YOU HOLDING THE CUBS?"

I SAID THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I'M HERE.

I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.

HEATHER: WE'VE GOT B7, WHO WE'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY.

WE NUMBER BEARS SEQUENTIALLY AS THEY COME INTO THE STUDY.

SO B7 WAS LITERALLY THE SEVENTH BEAR WE CAPTURED AS PART OF THE STUDY IN 2011.

I MEAN, WE CAUGHT HER THE VERY FIRST WEEK WHERE TRAPPING.

[WHISPERING] OK.

IN THERE.

RIGHT THERE.

HEATHER, VOICE-OVER: SHE'S ONE OF THE FEW BEARS THAT HAS LEGITIMATELY REALLY SWIPED AT ME AS I HAVE TRIED TO CRAWL INTO A DEN.

SHE'S THE ONLY BEAR THAT'S EVER FALSE CHARGED ANY OF MY STAFF, YOU KNOW, WITH HANDLING, LIKE, 600 DIFFERENT BEARS.

SHE FALSE CHARGED AN INTERN ON MY PROJECT.

SO THAT'S B7.

WE KNOW, SHE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE AGGRESSIVE SIDE.

SHE'S A BEAR THAT DEFINITELY USES A LOT MORE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.

HAS IT CHANGED HER CONFLICT RATES THAT SHE HAS WITH PEOPLE AND HER RATES OF INTERACTION THAT SHE HAS WITH PEOPLE, AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HER SURVIVAL, SURVIVAL OF HER OFFSPRING?

DUSTY: WHAT ARE WE DOING?

JUST WAITING FOR THE BEAR TO GO DOWN.

HEATHER: OH, MY GOSH.

THERE'S TRIPLETS.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TRIPLETS TODAY?

TANA: SO I'M HOLDING 3 LITTLE BEAR TRIPLETS.

[WHINING] HEATHER: THE FACT THAT THIS BEAR HAD TRIPLETS TWO YEARS IN A ROW FOR US, I MEAN, WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT WITHIN THE STUDY.

IT'S PRETTY ASTOUNDING.

[WHINING] IN THIS SYSTEM WE WOULD NEVER EXPECT THAT IN A BEAR THAT WAS JUST USING NATURAL FOODS, BUT WE ALSO WOULD EXPECT THAT IF A BEAR HAD TRIPLETS PROBABLY AT LEAST ONE OF THEM WOULD SURVIVE.

LYLE: I WAS WANTS ME TO DO ALL THE MEAN STUFF.

YEAH.

HEY, HEY, HEY.

HEY, HEY.

IT'S OK. HEY, HEY.

YEAH.

I KNOW.

I KNOW I'M BAD, BUDDY.

HEATHER, VOICE-OVER: I KNOW WE PUT A LITTLE CHIP UNDER THE SKIN... [CUB WHINING] [BLEEP] I MEAN, HE'S A HANDFUL.

HEATHER, VOICE-OVER: AND THEN AT THE END, WE PUT THEM ALL BACK IN THE DEN, AND WE'LL JUST HEAD OUT, AND THAT'S SOW WILL JUST NATURALLY WAKE UP WITH ALL OF HER CUBS ALL WITH THEIR IN THE DEN AGAIN IN A NICE, DARK SPOT.

DAVE: YEAH.

AROUND APRIL 1, SHE STARTS TO BE OUT OF HER DEN CONSISTENTLY, AND THEN SHE'S MOVING AROUND THE LANDSCAPE, AND THAT'S JUST ONE BEAR.

WE HAVE 40 BEARS THAT ARE OUT THERE WEARING COLLARS, AS WELL, DOING THE SAME THING, COMING OUT OF THEIR DEN AND STARTING TO MOVE AROUND, AND THEN WE TRY TO CATCH NEW BEARS AND PUT COLLARS ON THEM IN THE SUMMERTIME.

TELL YOU WHAT.

I'LL EVEN SET IT FOR YOU ONLY IF YOU PROMISE TO LET ME OUT.

HEATHER: I'VE GOT TWO TRAPPERS OUT WORKING 6 DAYS A WEEK.

SET THEM AT NIGHT, CHECK THEM IN THE MORNING, AND THEN WORK ANY BEARS THAT-- NEW BEARS THAT WE CATCH.

WE'RE REALLY OUT THERE TRYING TO CATCH ADULT FEMALES AND PUT COLLARS ON THEM.

SOMETIMES WE'LL CATCH MALES AND MARK THEM AND RELEASE THEM.

LYLE AND I GET RIGHT ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME IT'S A MALE OR FEMALE.

DAVE: OCCASIONALLY, WE'LL RE CATCH THEM AND HAVE TO RELEASE THEM AGAIN.

WE HAVE A BEAR IN THE TRAP BEHIND THE DUMPSTER.

NO.

WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE.

SO WE'VE GOT A NEW BEAR.

3 FOR 5.

YEAH, CAN'T MISS RIGHT NOW.

HEATHER: WE CATCH 10 BEARS FOR EVERY ADULT FEMALE AGAIN.

IT'S PRETTY HARD TO FIND NEW AND MARKED FEMALES FOR US.

WE JUST TRAP SO MANY IN THE AREA.

WE JUST FOUND A BEAR IN THE HONEY HOLE, WHICH IS NOT A SURPRISE.

THAT TRAP IS AN EVERYDAY TYPE OF THING, BUT IT'S A RECAPTURE, RECAPTURE MALE.

YOU CAN TELL BY WHAT SIDE THE EAR TAG IS ON.

LET'S GO GET HIM OUT OF THERE.

MAN, THAT BEAR'S GOT A BIG HEAD ON IT.

I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED-- HEH.

THERE YOU GO.

HE'S INTERESTED.

THEY'LL POP THEIR JAW LIKE THAT, THAT... [POP POP] [BEAR GROWLING LOWLY] AND YOU KNOW, THEY'LL-- AND ALL THESE NOISES AND EVERYTHING THE BEAR'S DOING IS OBVIOUSLY, LIKE, AN INTIMIDATION TYPE THING.

I'M JUST GOING TO PULL THIS DOOR OPEN.

I'M GOING TO STAND RIGHT HERE BEHIND IT.

IF IT IS KIND OF LIKE WALKING OUT SLOW, THEN KIND OF START TO STEP BACK, AND WE'LL MAKE A BUNCH OF NOISE AND GET IT GOING OUT THIS WAY.

SO I'D SAY, LIKE, JUST, LIKE, RIGHT UP ON THAT HILL JUST A LITTLE BIT.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU READY?

WHOA!

WHOA!

OHH!

HEATHER: SO IF WE CATCH A RECAPTURE IN THE TRAP, WHICH FIRST MEANS A BEAR THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MARKED AS PART OF OUR STUDY, WE DON'T DRUG THAT BEAR AGAIN.

IT'S JUST KIND OF CATCH-AND-RELEASE BEAR TRAPPING.

LYLE: YOU KNOW, WE CATCH SOME BEARS 6, 7, 8 TIMES.

YOU GET BEARS THAT THEY DON'T CARE IF THEY GET TRAPPED.

THEY'LL COME THERE, GO IN THE TRAP, HAVE A LUNCH, AND TAKE A NAP, AND THEY'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU.

"HEY.

LET ME OUT OF HERE.

I'M ALREADY TAGGED," AND THEY GET SMART.

THEY KNOW IT.

IN FACT, HAVE IT ON A LITTLE VIDEO.

SO WE HAVE THE TRAP SET, AND THE BEAR COMES UP, AND HE WALKS AROUND AND AROUND GETS ON TOP OF THE TRAP.

FINALLY, HE TRIPS THE TRAP.

THAT BAR IS DOWN, SO THIS BEAR GOES-- THROW IT OVER-- HE BROKE A RATCHET STRAP, THREW IT OVER THE BUSHES TILL IT ROLLED UPSIDE DOWN.

THEN THE DOOR FELL OPEN.

HE WENT IN AND GOT HIS BAIT, AND THEN HE COMES BACK.

HE LOOKED RIGHT IN THE CAMERA AND GOES, "HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?"

AND OTHER BEARS WON'T GO IN A TRAP.

YOU'LL NEVER CATCH THEM.

INDIVIDUAL BEARS, THEY'VE GOT DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES, THEY GOT DIFFERENT HABITATS, THEY'VE GOT DIFFERENT DIETS, WHICH IS STUFF I'VE LEARNED, YOU KNOW.

DAVE: OCCASIONALLY, WE'LL CATCH RACCOONS, SKUNKS, MOUNTAIN LIONS.

PEOPLE'S DOGS, OCCASIONALLY PEOPLE.

DUSTY: DID YOU REALLY CATCH SOMEBODY?

USUALLY JUST TECHNICIANS THAT TRAP THEMSELVES.

WAIT.

TELL ME THAT STORY.

NO ONE EVER WILL ADMIT IT.

AH.

THE WORST PART OF THE JOB COMES TO MIND PRETTY QUICK, AND THAT'S HANDLING STINK BAIT.

THE STINK BAIT, WHICH IS OVER THERE, WHICH IS THE FISH.

IT'S THE BEST BEAR BAIT YOU CAN GET.

BACK HERE.

OH, YEAH.

YOU CAN ALREADY SMELL IT.

MMM.

SO GOOD RIGHT NOW.

LOOKS GOOD, HUH?

DUSTY: OH, MY GOSH.

GALE: IF YOU GET YOUR FACE TOO CLOSE, IT CAN, LIKE, LITERALLY TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY.

WHAT'S--WHAT ARE THOSE?

THOSE ARE MAGGOTS.

THERE'S MAGGOTS ALL OVER THEM, WHICH IS GREAT.

OHH!

THIS IS LIKE PRIME RIGHT HERE.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT.

THAT STINK WILL TRAVEL AND THE BEARS-- HA HA-- THE BEARS, LOVE IT.

HONESTLY, ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT DOING WILDLIFE WORK IS BEING ABLE TO HANDLE DISGUSTING THINGS.

IF YOU CAN HANDLE THIS KIND OF STUFF, THEN YOU'LL DO FINE.

WE DON'T PUT STINK BAIT IN THE TRAP.

THE FIRST YEAR I DID THAT, BUT THEN YOU'RE YOU GOT TO HANDLE THIS BEAR THAT SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN DEAD FISH.

SO THE I SAID, "LET'S HANG IT RIGHT CLOSE BUT DON'T PUT IT IN," AND IN THE TRAP, I'LL BAIT WITH FRUIT AND DOUGHNUTS.

OK.

SO WE DISTRACT THE BEAR FROM ONE SIDE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DRAG IT.

HEY, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR!

HEY, BEAR.

HEY.

OVER HERE, BUDDY.

HEY, HEY, HEY.

HEY!

HEY, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR!

HEY!

HEY, BEAR!

HEY, HEY!

YEAH.

THERE WE GO.

HEY, HEY, HEY.

COME HERE, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR.

HEY, BEAR.

HEY.

[CLAPPING] HEY, BEAR.

HEATHER: THIS IS THE TOOTH, AND IT'S THE ROOT.

THEY'LL GET A CROSS SECTION ON IT AT THE LAB THE LAB AND FROM THAT ROOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW OLD THAT BEAR IS.

WE'RE RUNNING A CURRENT THROUGH THE BEAR, AND THE SPEED AT WHICH THE CURRENT GOES THROUGH IS DEPENDENT ON HOW MUCH WATER THE BEAR HAS, WHICH IS INDIRECTLY RELATED TO HOW MUCH FAT THEY HAVE.

SO WITH INFORMATION ON THEIR WEIGHT, THEIR SIZE, AND THEN THIS RESISTANCE FACTOR, YOU CAN CALCULATE PERCENT BODY FAT.

KIND OF LIKE WHEN YOU STAND ON THAT SCALE AT THE GYM AND IT CALCULATES YOUR PERCENT BODY FAT.

IT'S THE SAME IDEA.

SO FROM THE BLOOD WE'VE GOT DNA.

WE KEEP THIS ON FILE BASICALLY, AND IF THERE ARE ANY DISEASE ISSUES WITH BEARS WE WANT TO LOOK AT, WE'LL KEEP THE BLOOD THAT WAY.

WE'RE ALSO USING THE BLOOD TO LOOK AT TELOMERES, AND TELOMERES ARE BASICALLY THE CAP ON THE END OF A CHROMOSOME, AND THEY TEND TO SHRINK AS AN ANIMAL AGES.

WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO, ULTIMATELY, IT WOULD BE REALLY IDEAL IS IF WE CAN USE THE TELOMERE AND THAT DNA TO GET A SENSE OF AGE FROM BEARS.

SO WE'RE USING BEARS LIKE THIS, WHERE WE KNOW THE AGE AND WHAT THEIR TELOMERES ARE DOING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT ULTIMATELY TO WORK WITH NON-INVASIVE GENETIC TECHNIQUES WHERE WE JUST COLLECT BEAR HAIR.

THIS IS REAL THICK STUFF.

THAT'S WHY YOU GOT TO INJECT IT SLOW LIKE MAPLE SYRUP.

HEATHER: SO BEARS ARE KIND OF ONE SIDE OF THIS PUZZLE, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE THE OTHER SIDE, AND SO IN ADDITION TO COLLECTING A LOT OF DATA ON BEARS, WE'RE ALSO COLLECTING DATA ON PEOPLE, AND RYAN IS COLLECTING ALL THE DATA ON THE HUMAN SIDE OF THIS PROJECT.

MAN: SO TYPICALLY, I GET UP AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING.

THAT WAY, IT GIVES ME A LITTLE TIME TO PREP FOR THE DAY'S WORK, AND THEN AROUND 4:45, 5:00, I WILL GO OUT AND START TO MONITOR TRASHCANS.

THERE'S ONLY ONE KNOCKED OVER, PROBABLY NOT A BEAR UNLESS THERE'S BEAR SCAT IN THE AREA.

YEAH, COONS ARE KNOWN TO-- I MEAN, IF SOMEONE ELSE KNOCKS IT OVER BY CHANCE OR THE WIND BLOWS OVER STRONG ENOUGH OR SOMETHING, THEN IT'S PROBABLY NOT BEARS.

HEATHER: SO AS PART OF THE STUDY, WE HAVE DEPLOYED ABOUT 1,100 BEARS-RESISTANT TRASH CONTAINERS.

DAVE: IN THE CONTROL AREA, PEOPLE JUST DID WHAT THEY NORMALLY DID, BUT IN THE TREATMENT AREA, WE TRIED TO GET PEOPLE TO USE THEIR BEAR-PROOF TRASH CONTAINERS, AND WE WANTED TO SEE HOW THAT IMPACTED HOW BEARS USE TOWN.

HEATHER: WE'VE DEPLOYED THOSE INTO DIFFERENT TREATMENT AREAS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TWO PAIRED CONTROL AREAS, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHETHER WIDE-SCALE URBAN BEAR PROOFING IS EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING BEAR-HUMAN CONFLICTS IN TOWN.

SO I'M GONNA CHECK SOME TRASHCANS.

USUALLY YOU WANT TO TRY TO GET THAT DONE BEFORE 6:00, CHECKING TO SEE IF WILDLIFE-RESISTANT CANS ARE CLIPPED.

SINCE IT'S A RESIDENTIAL CAN, IT'S NOT A WILDLIFE-RESISTANT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CODE, AND THE CONFLICT IS TRASH.

THERE ARE OTHER CONFLICTS BUT FOR MY STUFF, I USUALLY ONLY HAVE TRASH, AND THEN I GO OUT AND TAKE A PICTURE.

HEATHER: IT CAN COST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SWITCH TO ALL BEAR-PROOF CONTAINERS, SO COMMUNITIES REALLY NEED TO KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO MEASURE IS WHETHER THAT MANAGEMENT ACTION IS EFFECTIVE.

LYLE: IF THEY TIP OVER A GARBAGE CAN, THEY GOT ALL THE FRENCH FRIES, CHEESEBURGERS THEY WANT.

THAT'S HOW BEARS GET SO FAT, EATING JUNK FOOD JUST LIKE PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW THAT BEAR'S BEEN TO TOWN.

THERE'S A CANDY BAR WRAPPER AND TIN FOIL.

THERE'S THE PIECE OF TINFOIL RIGHT THERE, AND THIS IS A CANDY BAR WRAPPER.

SO SHE'S BEEN IN A GARBAGE CAN SOMEWHERE.

THAT'S HOW THEY VARY IS THE FOOD THEY EAT.

IT'S JUST LIKE PEOPLE.

IF THAT BEAR WOULDN'T HAVE HAD GOOD GARBAGE TO EAT, HE WOULDN'T HAVE WEIGHED NO 110 POUND, WHERE A BEAR THAT LIVES WAY UP IN THE WILD, HE'S GOT TO LIVE ON BERRIES--NUTS AND BERRIES, AND INSECTS, AND THAT'S ALL ACORN MASH.

THAT'S THE SAME COLOR AS THE INSIDE OF-- YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE SHELLS.

DUSTY: WHAT'S IT TASTE LIKE, LYLE?

PEANUT BUTTER.

HA HA!

[PLAYING MUSIC] HA HA HA!

HEATHER: SO IN 2012, WE HAD THIS MASSIVE FOOD FAILURE EVENT.

SO WHAT HAPPENS, WE HAD A REALLY LATE HARD FREEZE THAT HAPPENED IN JUNE, WHERE ALL THE PLANTS HAD FLOWERED OUT, AND THAT HARD FREEZE JUST KILLED ALL THE FLOWERS, SO WE JUST GET NO PROTECTION, NO BERRIES, NO ACORNS, AND THERE WAS ALMOST JUST NOTHING FOR THE BEARS TO EAT THAT YEAR.

WE DO SURVEYS FOR FOODS FOR THE BEARS EACH FALL, AND WE QUANTIFY THE AMOUNT OF FOOD AVAILABLE FOR BEARS ON OUR TRANSECTS.

IN THIS AREA, HOW LIKELY ARE THEY TO USE THESE NATURAL FOOD SOURCES?

HOW AVAILABLE ARE THE NATURAL FOOD SOURCES TO THEM COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, OTHER YEARS WHERE MAYBE THERE WASN'T AS MUCH NATURAL FOOD AND THEY HAD TO RELY ON HUMAN-CREATED FOOD SOURCES INSTEAD?

OUR AVERAGE FOOD AVAILABLE FOR BEARS ON OUR TRANSECTS WAS ZERO.

THAT WAS THE AVERAGE.

SO THEY TURN TO HUMAN FOODS AS A SOURCE OF SUBSIDY.

SO WE HAD BEARS-- A LOT OF BEARS IN OUR SYSTEM, PRETTY MUCH 90%, 85% COME IN AND REALLY USE HUMAN FOOD RESOURCES, GARBAGE, BIRDSEED, ALL THE KINDS OF FOODS YOU HAVE AROUND TOWN.

THE TRICK WITH THAT IS THAT WHEN THOSE BEARS COME INTO TOWN, THEN THEY'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ALL THESE MORTALITY FACTORS-- BEING HIT ON THE ROAD BY CARS, BEING LETHALLY REMOVED, OR BEING KILLED BASICALLY FOR NUISANCE BEHAVIOR.

SO WE HAVE BEARS THAT GET PUT DOWN FOR BREAKING INTO A HOUSE OR GARAGE OR FOR KILLING LIVESTOCK.

SO THAT FOOD FAILURE EVENT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY BEARS COMING INTO TOWN AND THEN SUFFERING A LOT OF MORTALITY AS A CONSEQUENCE.

WOMAN: WAS THAT THE BEAR CALLING FOR IT'S MAMA?

GIRL: YEAH!

IT'S RIGHT THERE.

IT'S MAKING A NOISE.

HEATHER: WE WATCHED THE BEAR POPULATION OF DURANGO BE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 202 FEMALE BEARS DOWN TO 84 FEMALE BEARS THIS IS A PRETTY UNPRECEDENTED DECLINE, ESPECIALLY IN A SINGLE YEAR IN A STUDY AREA.

NOW IN A WILD SYSTEM WHERE BEARS DON'T USE HUMAN FOOD RESOURCES, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO HUMAN FOOD, WE WOULD JUST NEVER SEE THAT.

YOU MIGHT SEE A LITTLE-- A LITTLE DOWNTURN IN THE POPULATION MOSTLY DUE TO LACK OF REPRODUCTION.

WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH, THEY PUT THEIR ENERGY INTO SURVIVING THEMSELVES SO THEY CAN REPRODUCE ANOTHER DAY, AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'D SEE NORMALLY, BUT IN THESE SYSTEMS AROUND THESE URBAN ENVIRONMENTS, AROUND DURANGO, WHAT WE SAW AS THIS BEHAVIORAL SHIFT WHERE BEARS USE HUMAN FOOD AND THEN SUFFER THESE REALLY HIGH MORTALITY RATES.

MAN: STOP.

OH, NO, OH, NO.

OH!

OH, [BLEEP] CAR.

YOU GOT IT NOW, BABY.

JUST KEEP ON GOING.

MAN TWO: GONNA FIND A MOTEL ROOM.

HA HA HA!

MAN: COME IN.

BEAUTIFUL FALL DAY IN DURANGO.

WELL, I WAS WATCHING A BALLGAME, AND I HEARD A SLIGHT NOISE LIKE A TRASHCAN.

SO I WALKED OUT INTO THE GARAGE AND WALKED BACK INTO THE HOUSE, PUSHED THAT BUTTON OVER THERE AND CLOSED THE GARAGE DOOR.

ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER, AND MY NEIGHBOR CALLED ME AND SAID, "ARE YOU OK?"

AND I SAID, "YEAH, WHY DO YOU ASK?

SAID, "BECAUSE WE HEARD YOU HOLLERING IN THERE" AND I SAID, "WELL, I WAS JUST SHOUTING AT THE DOG BECAUSE SHE WON'T STOP BARKING."

SHE SAID, "WELL, THERE'S A 300-POUND BEAR ON OUR FRONT PORCH."

I HEARD BAM, BAM, BAM JUST LIKE THAT.

IT WAS JUST LIKE--IT WAS JUST THAT NOISE, AND IT WAS BASICALLY ALL NIGHT LONG.

THE LADY UPSTAIRS TOOK A VIDEO FROM UP THERE, BUT YOU COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING.

IT WAS DARK, BUT YOU'D HEAR GRUNTING "RRR, RRR" LIKE THAT.

[CLATTER] SHE APPARENTLY TRIED TO CLIMB UP HERE.

SHE PULLED THAT DRAIN PIPE DOWN.

TORE THE SCREENS OFF OF THESE TWO WINDOWS TORE THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF AN EXHAUST FOR A CLOTHES DRYER AND SHOWED UP ON MY FRONT PORCH, HER PAWS AND HER NOSE ON THE GLASS WINDOW.

LOOKING AT ME, AND I WENT OVER-- AN UNWISE SITUATION-- AND DID THIS TO THE WINDOW RIGHT WHERE HER NOSE WAS, AND SHE DIDN'T MOVE.

SHE JUST STAYED JUST LIKE THIS, AND SHE HAD--AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT LOOKING BACK ON IT-- SHE HAD A FORLORN LOOK ON HER FACE LIKE, "HELP ME," LIKE SHE WAS ABOUT TO CRY, BUT SHE MADE NO AGGRESSIVE MOVES AT ALL, AND THEN WHEN I MOVED AWAY, SHE WALKED AWAY AND WENT BACK TO ANOTHER PART OF THE HOUSE.

BAM, BAM, BAM.

ABOUT 3:00 THE MORNING, I HEARD THIS CRY, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE BOY NEXT DOOR WHO'D BEEN UPSET WITH ALL THE ACTIVITY.

SO THE NEXT MORNING MY NEIGHBOR, WHO HAS A TWO-STORY HOUSE THAT LOOKS DOWN ON MY GARAGE, SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A BEAR IN YOUR GARAGE.

I PRESS THE BUTTON AND OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR, AND OUT VERY SLOWLY COMES TWO LITTLE BABY BEAR CUBS.

I BET THEY DIDN'T WEIGH MORE THAN 40 POUNDS APIECE, AND THEY'D BEEN EITHER THE CAR.

THEY WERE JUST SO CUTE.

HEH HEH HEH!

AND I WAS JUST SO UPSET THAT I HAD DONE THAT.

IT'S JUST THE TRAUMA THAT I PUT THAT POOR MAMA BEAR THROUGH THAT NIGHT BY KIDNAPPING HER CHILDREN UNINTENTIONALLY.

BASICALLY, IT WAS HER FAULT, THOUGH, FOR TRYING TO TEACH THOSE BEARS TO BE THIEVES.

SO ANYWAY, THAT'S THE STORY.

I NOTICED SHE HAD A BIG COLLAR.

DUSTY: WITHIN THE STUDY, THAT BEAR IS KNOWN AS B7.

B7.

SO SHE WAS THE SEVENTH BEAR.

THEY CAPTURED OF 900 BEARS IN THE STUDY.

REALLY?

I'LL REMEMBER THAT.

B7.

THAT'S HER NAME.

B7.

YEP.

THAT'S HER NAME.

WELL, POOR OLD B7, I DID HER WRONG.

HEH.

MIKE: OK. HEATHER: OK.

SO THIS IS-- I CAN TELL BY THE PIT TAG NUMBER THAT THIS IS B451.

SO THIS IS A CUB OF B7's, A MALE, HER MALE CAB OF THE TRIPLETS.

UM... AND HE WAS PUT DOWN YESTERDAY BY A WILDLIFE OFFICER.

MAN: ONE OF THE CUBS WAS IN THEIR GARAGE, AND SO THEY SHOWED ME WHERE THE CUB WAS, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, "OK. OK. HOW ARE WE--WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NOW?"

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "OH, IT'LL EAT RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HAND."

I SAID, "REALLY?

SHOW ME."

YOU KNOW, THE BEAR ATE A PIECE OF BACON OUT OF MY HAND LIKE YOU'RE FEEDING YOUR PUPPY DOG, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY END UP FEEDING IT A PIECE OF BACON.

YOU KNOW, ANYTIME A BEAR CAN EAT OF YOUR HAND, THAT'S A BAD DEAL, SO... HEATHER: BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A BEAR IN SOME KIND OF PUBLIC SAFETY SITUATION, LIKE A BEAR BREAKING INTO HOMES, THOSE BEARS HAVE TO BE LETHALLY REMOVED, WHETHER IT'S BEING PUT DOWN BY OUR AGENCY OR WILDLIFE SERVICES, A FEDERAL AGENCY.

OR BY EVEN BY LANDOWNERS.

SOMETIMES, WE CAN TAKE CUBS, AND WE HAVE A FACILITY, BUT THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT SITUATION.

THEY DEFINITELY DON'T EAT OUT OF YOUR HAND, SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO GO AHEAD AND EUTHANIZE THE BEAR.

I MEAN, NONE OF US, UH, ENJOY THAT.

THAT'--THAT'S FOR SURE, BUT WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF THIS BEAR?

IT DIDN'T LOOK VERY GOOD.

LYLE: THE OTHER THING I MIGHT ADD SINCE I'VE GOT INTO THIS JOB, I DON'T HUNT BEARS ANYMORE.

I'M NOT AGAINST IT, I'M NOT ANTI, BUT I JUST KIND OF TOOK A LIKING TO THEM.

I'M GETTING ATTACHED TO THEM.

I CATCH THEM IN A TRAP.

I PUT A COLLAR THEM, I EAR TAG THEM, I GO TO THEIR DENS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, I SEE THEIR YOUNG, I SEE THEIR OFFSPRING, AND THEY ALMOST GET PERSONAL TO YOU, YOU KNOW.

HEATHER: YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, I THINK THE PUBLIC DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IN SOME WAYS IS HOW CHALLENGING IT CAN BE TO MONITOR AND TRACK THESE POPULATIONS, AND SO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GOOD DATA ON A CRITTER, MORE AND MORE, WE TEND TO MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS.

IN DURANGO, YOU CAN EASILY HAVE BEARS GOING DOWN THE ALLEYS EACH NIGHT, COMING THROUGH PEOPLE'S YARDS.

THEY'RE THERE RIGHT IN AND AROUND TOWN, AND FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THAT-- THAT'S UNCOMFORTABLE.

MAN: HI, BUDDY.

HEATHER: IN SOME WAYS, I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE PERSON EXPERIENCING THAT INTERACTION AND WHAT THEY THINK OF TO THEM IS THAT A CONFLICT OR NOT?

FOR MANAGEMENT AGENCIES, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS A CONFLICT?

WHAT DO YOU REACT TO?

WOMAN: LOOKING FOR FOOD?

HEATHER: WHAT DO YOU GET A MANAGE FOR?

WOMAN: OH, MY GOSH.

GONNA CLIMB MY TREE.

HEATHER: AND WHAT IS JUST WILDLIFE COEXISTING WITH US ON OUR LANDSCAPES?

BOY: RAWWR!

MAN: HEY.

[WHISTLES SHARPLY] WOMAN: HE'S, LIKE, 20 FEET FROM YOU.

BOY: RAWWR!

WOMAN: HE DOESN'T GIVE A [BLEEP].

HEATHER: WHAT IS IT?

WHAT IS A CONFLICT?

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO REACT TO?

WHAT ARE THE OFFICERS GOING TO REACT TO?

ANCHOR: AND TWO PEOPLE ARE RECOVERING AFTER BEING ATTACKED BY A BEAR.

THEY WERE IN AN ILLEGAL CAMPSITE NEAR DURANGO.

A BEAR RECENTLY KILLED IN DURANGO BY STATE WILDLIFE OFFICIALS WAS QUOTE, "A SERIAL BITER," ACCORDING TO THEM.

OFFICIALS SAID THE BEAR HAD A REAL NOSE FOR HUMAN FOOD AND SCOURED A HOMELESS CAMP SEVERAL TIMES.

YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY HAD FIRE PITS AND EVERYTHING.

UP OVER HERE IS WHERE THE YOUNG KID GOT MAULED.

FROM WHAT HE TOLD US, IS THAT THE BEAR ATTACKED HIS TENT.

HE RAN, AND THAT WAS-- YOU DON'T RUN FROM A BEAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOKE HIM UP OR WHAT BUT STARTLED HIM, AND THE ADRENALINE KICKS IN.

THERE WAS A LOT OF BLOOD EVERYWHERE BECAUSE IT GOT THE BACK OF HIS NECK AND SEPARATED THE BONE FROM THE MUSCLE.

AND WHEN HE GOT ME THE SECOND TIME, I WAS IN THE RAVINE.

IF I HADN'T MADE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE, THEY WOULDN'T HEARD ME, AND YOU WOULDN'T BE GETTING ANY INTERVIEW RIGHT NOW.

I'D HAVE BEEN DEAD.

I HAVE 3 CRACKED VERTEBRAE IN MY SPINE, I HAVE A DAMAGED ARTERY.

I HAVE 16 STAPLES IN MY HEAD.

HE TACKLED ME TWICE, MAN.

HE BIT ME.

LIKE, 6 TIMES, STUCK HIS CLAWS IN MY CHEST.

MAN: PICKING HIM UP AND CARRYING HIM OUT, WE WERE COVERED IN BLOOD.

I HAD BLACK BLOOD ALL OVER MY FACE.

WASN'T A LONG AFTER THAT MAYBE, 5 MINUTES THE DOGS TREED THE BEAR.

WE ENDED UP DESTROYING THE BEAR.

SO MANY PEOPLE BEEN FEEDING THEM OVER THE YEARS THAT THEY KNOW WHICH CAMPS TO COME TO, AND THEN HAVING A BIG PILE OF TRASH WITH FOOD LAYING AROUND DOESN'T HELP MUCH.

EVERYTHING THERE IS SOME KIND OF FOOD SOURCE, GOT ODOR.

SO IF THEY HAVE BEEN TO A CAMPSITE WHERE THEY'VE GOT FOOD THEY'VE BEEN REWARDED, THEY'LL GO FROM CAMPSITE TO CAMPSITE, I MEAN, JUST TO SEE IF SOMEBODY ELSE HAS LEFT FOOD OUT FOR THEM.

WE HAD PEOPLE CALL THE OFFICE JUST EXTREMELY UPSET THAT THE BEAR WAS EUTHANIZED.

NOT SURE WHAT YOU DO WITH A BEAR THAT'S ATTACKED 4 PEOPLE IN A 7- OR 8-DAY PERIOD.

YOU KNOW, HUMAN EMOTION RUNS THE ENTIRE GAMUT, AND WE GOT THAT, THAT WAS ON DISPLAY, SO... WOMAN: THIS BEAR THINKS MY POND IS A TUB.

COME ON.

DON'T-- YOU'RE GONNA RIP THE LINER.

DON'T RIP THE LINER.

YOU GONNA-- YOU GONNA COME OVER HERE?

OHH!

SHAKE IT OFF, SHAKE IT OFF.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

DRYING YOUR PAWS?

UM... NOT IN THE POOL, THOUGH.

NOT IN THE POOL.

COME ON.

DANG IT.

[DOG BARKING] HEATHER: AND I HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME THAT FOLKS SAY-- THEY TELL ME HOW THEY THINK THE BEAR POPULATION'S CHANGED OVER THE LAST 10 OR 20 YEARS SINCE THEY'VE LIVED IN DURANGO AND THAT IT'S INCREASED, BUT I NEVER HEARD PEOPLE KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENED ON THE LANDSCAPE, TOO, WITH PEOPLE, AND THAT HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

SOMETIMES, I THINK FOLKS KIND OF OVERLOOK THESE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE LANDSCAPE AND HOW THOSE CHANGES ARE PUTTING THESE KIND OF NEW AND SIGNIFICANT PRESSURES ON OUR WILDLIFE POPULATIONS THAT THEY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED.

[CROSSING SIGNAL DINGING] YEAH.

SO TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO CHECK ON THE DEN OF B7.

WE'RE GONNA LOAD UP A SOW DOSE AND THEN KIND OF BE READY TO LOAD UP A SECOND, YEARLING DOSE IF THERE'S A YEARLING IN THE DEN.

BUT AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T THINK SO, AND, YOU KNOW, SHE MIGHT JUST HAVE NEWBORN CUBS AGAIN.

SO SHE'S DENNED IN PRETTY MUCH A FORTRESS THIS YEAR.

THIS CRACK IN A CLIFF WALL THAT JUST WENT BACK, I DON'T KNOW, 30, 35 YARDS AND THEN KIND OF SWUNG TO THE RIGHT FOR ANOTHER 10 OR 15 YARDS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE DENS WE'RE NOT VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

IT'S NOT LIKE THE NICE ONE WE DID YESTERDAY.

I MEAN, YOU CAN COME UP AND LOOK IN IT IF YOU WANT TO, AND IT'S KIND OF A BIG CRACK SYSTEM.

[INDISTINCT] CAN YOU GIVE ME A FLASHLIGHT?

[BLEEP] CAN YOU TELL ME IF SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE'S MOVING MOVING DOWN THE SIDE, OK?

DAVE: YEAH.

I'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.

HEATHER, VOICE-OVER: IT WAS PRETTY INTIMIDATING.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST A VERY LONG, NARROW SPACE.

SO THAT MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SAFELY IMMOBILIZE HER AND NOT TO KNOW, TOO, IF SHE HAS ANY OFFSPRING.

YEAH.

IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S ANYTHING WITH HER.

NO YEARLINGS, NO CUBS.

SHE WAS OUT OF THAT DEN YESTERDAY BECAUSE THERE'S FRESH TRACKS IN THE SNOW THAT WOULD HAVE MELTED OUT.

DAVE'S WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT WHEN I WAS GONNA DO THE DART WAS "WELL, IF SHE COMES CHARGING, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE BLOCKED."

LYLE: I HEARD THAT.

OH, MAN.

IT WAS PRETTY EASY.

I WAS BEHIND HEATHER, SO I WAS SAFE.

HEATHER: SEE SOMETHING?

DAVE: GOES QUITE A BIT PAST HER, AND IT'S QUITE--IT'S NARROWER, SO SHE COULDN'T GET IN THERE, BUT ONE OF HER YEARLINGS COULD HAVE.

DUSTY: HOW'S THAT SQUEEZE, DAVE?

ALL RIGHT.

HEATHER: UM, I THINK WE'LL TAKE THE GUN IN THERE.

IF THE YEARLING IS BACK, WE'RE GONNA NEED THE GUN.

SO THERE IS ACTUALLY A YEARLING IN THERE, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT NOW.

HEATHER: IT'S REALLY SWEET RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY.

THE SOW IS LAYING WITH HER HEAD PLANTED, AND THE YEARLING'S NOSE IS JUST PRESSED-- HER FACE IS PRESSED RIGHT AGAINST MOM.

THEY'RE STAYING RIGHT TOGETHER.

YOU ALWAYS WONDER HOW THEY FIND THESE PLACES.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL THEY GOT TO DO, I GUESS, IS LOOK FOR A DEN ALL SUMMER LONG.

BUT TO FIND THIS CRACK AND KNOW THAT IT GOES IN THERE.

[HEATHER AND DAVE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] [DAVE SHOUTING] YOU GOT THAT JAB POLE?

I NEED A JAB POLE.

OK, DAVE.

JUST COME OUT.

[DAVE GRUNTING] HEATHER: BE READY FOR A BEAR.

DAVE: YOU GET BACK!

HEATHER: HEY, HEY.

HEY, BEAR!

HEY, BEAR!

HEY, BEAR!

HEY, BEAR!

HEY, BEAR!

HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY!

WHOA!

[CLANG] HEY.

WOW.

SHE'S BIG.

STAY BACK!

OH!

HEY, BEAR!

HEY!

HEY!

ROCKS!

HERE'S ROCKS YOU CAN THROW.

[CLATTER] HERE'S ROCKS, DAVE, RIGHT BEHIND YOU TO THROW.

DAVE: LET'S LET THIS YEARLING PUP OUT.

OK.

IT'S UP TO YOU.

LET'S GIVE HER SPACE.

LYLE: YOU WANT THIS AGAIN?

HEATHER: NO, NO.

JUST LET IT GO.

CAN'T TELL IF THAT SOW'S DOWN.

I'M PRETTY SURE SHE'S NOT.

HERE COMES THE YEARLING.

HEATHER: OK. DAVE: GIVE THEM A CLEAR PATH.

YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

HERE.

OUT OF THE WAY QUICK.

DAVE: THIS IS A BIG YEARLING, THOUGH.

HEATHER: YEAH.

THEN SHE WAS, LIKE... YEAH.

YEARLING WENT BACK IN NOW.

DAVE: SO WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THE SOW, AND SHE WAS A LITTLE LIGHT, SO SHE STARTED TO KIND OF MOVING AROUND, WHICH IS DISCONCERTING, AND THEN ONCE I MOVED HER BACK A LITTLE BIT, HE--HE OR SHE POPPED OUT AND STARTED COMING UP AND OVER, SO I PUT A PACK ON IT FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN THAT PROBABLY COULD HAVE HELD IT THERE, BUT WE'RE KIND OF, IN, LIKE, A STUCK POSITION.

CAN'T DO ANYTHING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO I STARTED BACKING OUT, AND THEN THE YEARLING POPPED UP OVER MOM AND WAS COMING DOWN THE LITTLE CRACK THERE.

SHE WAS STILL RESPONSIVE TO ME MAKING NOISES, SO SHE WASN'T, LIKE, CHARGING OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST LIKE SHE WANTED OUT OF THERE, SO... WELL, TO ME THAT'S SUPER INTENSE.

WHEN I HEAR DAVE YELLING LIKE THAT, I'M LIKE, "OH!"

BECAUSE IT'S LIKE--FOR ME, IT'S, LIKE, SO OUT OF CHARACTER FOR DAVE.

YOU HAVE TO ACT TOUGH WITH THEM...

DUSTY: HEH HEH.

MAKE THEM THINK YOU ARE TOUGH.

THIS DEN IN THIS CASE MIGHT BE TOO-- JUST A LITTLE TOO DANGEROUS FOR US TO WORK.

HEATHER, VOICE-OVER: WE LEFT.

WE ACTUALLY WENT BACK AND GOT A TRAIL CAMERA SO THAT WE COULD JUST CONFIRM THAT IT'S JUST B7 AND ONE YEARLING.

WE CHANGED THE PROGRAM ON HER COLLAR.

WE COULD DO THAT REMOTELY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT BATTERY IS GOING TO LAST ANOTHER YEAR UNTIL NEXT WINTER.

THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT B7 WAS FINE.

SHE WAS UP, SHE WAS MOVING AROUND.

SHE WAS JAW POPPING, REALLY AGGRESSIVE, AND JUST GENERALLY PISSED THAT WE ARE BACK AT HER DEN.

SO--HEH--SHE AND HER YEARLING OR JUST FINE, AND HOPEFULLY SHE DOESN'T DEN IN THAT SAME HOLE NEXT WINTER.

MAN: 1, 2, 3, 4.

LET'S SEE.

HERE'S SOME.

HAVE A LOOK HERE.

THERE'S ALMOST NOTHING ON THIS.

THERE WAS CHOKECHERRY, BUT IT MAY BE-- OH, HERE'S SOME.

AND OVERALL EVEN THOUGH-- OH, HERE'S MORE CHOKEBERRY.

I'M GONNA SAY THAT BECAUSE MOST OF THE CHOKECHERRY I'M SEEING.

PRETTY MUCH ALL OF WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR HAS BEEN IN PEAK, I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S AT PEAK RIGHT NOW.

IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE BECAUSE THIS IS GREAT FOOD FOR THE BEARS.

HEATHER: I THINK WE'RE AT, LIKE, B605 OR 606, SO WE'VE HANDLED OVER 600 DIFFERENT BEARS AS PART OF A 6-YEAR STUDY.

LYLE: THAT'S A LOT OF CAPTURES.

I THINK I'VE CAPTURED MORE BEARS THAN ANYBODY ALIVE THAT I KNOW OF.

[THUD] [TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING] HEATHER: SO IT'S WINTER OF 2017, AND THIS IS THE END OF OUR PROJECT.

SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS PACKAGE FOR 6 YEARS, AND THIS IS THE LAST WINTER, AND SO WE'RE PULLING ALL OUR COLLARS OFF.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GO IN TODAY TO B7's DEN, AND WE'RE GONNA COLLECT ALL THE DATA THAT WE USUALLY DO ON HER BODY CONDITION AND WEIGHT.

WE'LL GET SAMPLES AND EVERYTHING FROM HER.

WE'LL CHECK HER REPRODUCTION-- REPRODUCTIVE STATUS AND SEE WHETHER SHE HAD CUBS AND HOW MANY, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PULL THE COLLAR OFF TODAY.

THAT'S PRETTY UNIQUE FOR WILDLIFE STUDIES.

SOMETIMES, THOSE ANIMALS END UP JUST WEARING THOSE COLLARS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.

[WHISPERING] IN 6 YEARS, THAT WAS THE BEST B7 ENCOUNTER.

[WHISPERING] IT'S AS SMOOTH AS IT GETS ACTUALLY.

THERE'S CUBS TODAY.

DAVE: HOLY MOLY!

WHOA!

I AM LONG BY WEIGHT.

WATCH YOURSELF, LYLE.

HEATHER: SOME OF THE BEARS WE'VE COLLARED THE LATER YEARS OF THE STUDY I DON'T KNOW AS WELL, AND I DON'T QUITE HAVE THE SAME FONDNESS FOR, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE BEARS LIKE B7... DAVE: 1, 2, 3.

HEATHER: YOU KNOW, I CAN REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW SHE SWIPED AT ME IN THE DEN, THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA TAKE MY HEAD OFF.

I CAN REMEMBER THE NASTY CLIFF THAT SHE DENNED ON, SHE MADE US ALL ROPE UP FOR SO WE WOULDN'T GO TUMBLING DOWN.

DAVE: ALL RIGHT.

1, 2, 3.

HEATHER: I MEAN, SOME OF THESE BEARS HAVE PUT US THROUGH THE WRINGER TRYING TO FOLLOW THEM AND ATTRACT THEM, AND THEY'VE TAUGHT US WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN GOOD YEARS AND BAD YEARS, HOW THEY USE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HOW THEY SURVIVE AND REPRODUCE, AND WE'VE KIND OF LEARNED THEIR PERSONALITIES A LITTLE BIT AND WHAT THEY'RE LIKELY TO DO.

SO WE'VE BUILT UP A LOT OF MEMORIES WITH SOME OF THESE ANIMALS.

LYLE: WELL, HER CANINES, ARE BOTH WORE RIGHT DOWN.

THEY SHOULD BE AN INCH AND A HALF LONG.

DAVE: CHEWING ON METAL AND STUFF.

DUSTY: DO YOU SEE THAT IN AN URBAN BEAR?

IS IT CHEWING THROUGH?

HEATHER: WE DON'T NECESSARILY FOR SURE SEE--LIKE, HAVE ENOUGH PROPER DATA ON THAT.

I MEAN, HER INCISORS ARE JUST A-- YEAH.

NOT TERRIBLE.

I MEAN, SHE'S AN OLDER BEAR.

SHE'S ALMOST 10 YEARS OLD.

WOMAN: SO HOW LONG DO BEARS TYPICALLY LIVE?

YEAH.

I WOULD SAY THE AVERAGE AGE FOR A BEAR THAT'S HARVESTED IS, LIKE, 5 OR 6 YEARS OLD.

WE HAVE SEVERAL BEARS IN OUR STUDY, LIKE, 20 YEARS OLD AND OLDER, SO THOSE ARE PRETTY DARN OLD BEARS.

SHE'S WORN A COLLAR SINCE 2011.

SO THE LAST 6 YEARS, SHE'S WORN A COLLAR, BUT NOW TODAY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS COLLAR OFF FOR GOOD, SO NOW B7 IS FREE AND CLEAR.

SHE'S COLLECTED A LOT OF DATA FOR US, HELPED US LEARN A LOT ABOUT HOW BEARS USE THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, AND TODAY SHE'S GONNA GO ON HER WAY WITHOUT WEARING A COLLAR ANYMORE.

DAVE: SHE TOOK GOOD CARE OF IT.

LYLE: SHE TOOK GOOD CARE OF IT, AND WE THANK HER FOR HER SERVICES.

[WHINING] WELL, I'VE BEEN IN THE OUTDOORS ALL MY LIFE.

I'VE BEEN A HUNTER, A FISHERMAN.

ALL MY LIFE.

WHAT BETTER JOB COULD YOU HAVE THAN BEING OUTSIDE EVERY DAY WORKING WITH WILDLIFE?

HEATHER: I MEAN, THIS DEN WORK IS SO FUN THAT DOESN'T MATTER HOW BAD THE PAY IS.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME BACK AND STILL CRAWL IN THOSE DENS AND PULL THOSE CUBS OUT.

GOOD?

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH.

WHAT'S BEEN FUN ABOUT THIS FOR ME IS REALLY GOING INTO THOSE DENS AND PULLING THOSE COLLARS OFF THOSE BEARS FOR THE LAST TIME AND JUST KNOWING THOSE BEARS DON'T HAVE TO WEAR THAT COLLAR ANYMORE.

THEY'VE GIVEN US THOUSANDS OF LOCATIONS.

THEY'VE SHOWN US HOW THEY MOVE AND HOW THEY USE THE LANDSCAPE.

WE GOT TO WATCH THEIR SURVIVAL AND REPRODUCTION, AND NOW WE JUST GET TO TAKE THE COLLARS OFF, PUT THEM BACK IN THEIR DENS, AND LET THOSE BEARS JUST WANDER THEIR DAYS FREE OF ANY SATELLITE TRACKING FOR THE REST OF THEIR TIME.

SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY FUN.

AW.

DONE?

SO YEAH, SO FIELDWORK'S OFFICIALLY OVER EXCEPT FOR ONE BEAR.

WE'RE STILL TRYING TO CATCH ONE BEAR, AND NOW WE'RE JUST ANALYZING A LOT OF DATA.

REALLY MORE THAN I THINK JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ELSE THIS DATA ON THIS ISSUE OF BEARS LIVING ON THE URBAN-WILDLAND INTERFACE.

WE'VE GOTTEN UP TO 40,000 LOCATIONS ON SINGLE BEARS, OVER A MILLION LOCATIONS ACROSS THE STUDY.

WE HAVE THIS TREMENDOUS DATA SET WHERE WE REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW BEARS ARE MOVING, HOW THEY'RE USING THE LANDSCAPE, HOW THAT'S AFFECTING THEIR DEMOGRAPHY, AND WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE OF THAT THEN FOR BOTH BEARS AND PEOPLE.

THE DATA WE'VE COLLECTED HERE CAN BE USED TO REALLY HELP DEVELOP THESE BETTER MODELS THAT THEN CAN BE TOOLS FOR WILDLIFE MANAGERS TO USE TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE WITH THESE POPULATIONS.

SO YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

DUSTY: AND TELL ME ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON TONIGHT.

TONIGHT, I'M GIVING A TALK.

WOMAN: GOOD EVENING.

HEATHER: A BIG PUBLIC TALK AT THE LIBRARY, WOMAN: THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

LET'S GIVE A HAND TO HEATHER JOHNSON.

[APPLAUSE] HEATHER: I TALK TO A LOT OF SCIENCES ABOUT BEARS IN DURANGO, SCIENTIFIC AUDIENCES AROUND THE COUNTRY REALLY ABOUT YOUR BEARS.

AND SO FOR ME, IT'S ALWAYS THE MOST FUN TO GET TO TALK ABOUT YOUR BEARS, YOU KNOW, TO YOU, TO THE RESIDENTS OF DURANGO.

WE'VE LEARNED THAT BEAR BEHAVIOR IS CHANGING.

BEARS ARE DYNAMIC TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.

THAT PERCEPTION, THAT KIND OF ONCE A PROBLEM BEAR, ALWAYS A PROBLEM BEAR, ONCE A BEAR DISCOVERS HUMAN FOOD IT'S NEVER GOING TO GO BACK, IT'S ALWAYS GONNA TO USE IT, WE'VE SEEN THOSE PERCEPTIONS ARE FALSE, THAT INSTEAD WHAT HAPPENS IS BEARS SEEM TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO FOR HUMAN FOOD AS A SOURCE OF SUBSIDY, AND THEY'LL ABSOLUTELY USE IT WHEN THEY NEED TO, BUT THEN IF THEY'VE GOT NATURAL FOOD RESOURCES AVAILABLE, THEY'LL READILY SWITCH BACK THE NEXT YEAR.

WE THINK THAT'S HAS TO DO WITH THIS FORAGE-RISK TRADE-OFF.

THEY'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THEIR RESOURCES WHILE MINIMIZING RISK, AND SO THEY'RE ALWAYS KIND OF WEIGHING THOSE THINGS.

THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL LOCATIONS OF BEAR B25 IN 2011.

DURANGO'S HERE.

SHE'S USING LIGHTNER CREEK AREA.

THIS IS A BEAR THAT'S USING NATURAL FOODS, BEHAVING JUST LIKE WE WANT AT BEAR TO DO.

BUT IN A POOR NATURAL FOOD YEAR WHEN THERE'S JUST NO FOOD RESOURCES FOR THEM IN THE WILD, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THAT FORAGE BENEFIT IS BIG, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S IT OUTWEIGHS THE RISK, AND THEN WE SEE A LOT OF BEARS COMING INTO TOWN AND USING THOSE RESOURCES.

OK.

SO NOW WE'RE INTO 2012.

SHE STARTS OFF USING THE SAME LAETTNER CREEK AREAS BEFORE USING NATURAL FOODS, BUT THIS WAS A FOOD FAILURE YEAR IN DURANGO, AND SO SHE KIND OF STARTS EXPLORING JUNCTION CREEK A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN SHE GOES RIGHT TO DOWNTOWN.

[LAUGHTER] THEN SHE SPENDS THE REST OF THE SUMMER AND THE FALL IN DOWNTOWN.

2013, THOUGH, SHE KNOWS ABOUT DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, SHE KNOWS ABOUT THAT HUMAN FOOD SOURCE, BUT SHE JUST KEEPS USING LIGHTNER CREEK, AND SHE DOESN'T GO BACK.

2013 WASN'T A GREAT NATURAL FOOD YEAR HERE, BUT IT WAS OK, AND THAT WAS ENOUGH TO KEEP HER BEHAVING LIKE A WILD BEAR SHOULD AND SELECTING NATURAL FOODS.

THOSE BEHAVIORS OF BEARS COMING INTO TOWN AND USING HUMAN FOOD RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE BAD NATURAL FOOD YEARS, IT COMES WITH A LOT OF BEAR MORTALITY.

THIS STUDY'S BEEN REALLY SURPRISING TO US TO SEE HOW MUCH THOSE ARE REALLY DRIVING THIS BEAR POPULATION IN A WAY THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW.

THE PERCEPTION IS THAT WITH ALL THESE INCREASING CONFLICTS THAT THE BEAR POPULATION HAS BEEN INCREASING, AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING HERE IS THAT EVEN UNDER OUR YEARS WITH OUR BEST NATURAL FOOD CONDITIONS OUR BEAR POPULATION'S JUST STABLE, AND YEARS WHERE THE FOOD CONDITIONS ARE POOR, IT'S A DECREASING TREND.

BETWEEN 2012 AND 2013, WE HAVE A 57% DECLINE IN OUR BEAR POPULATION, AND THAT COINCIDES WITH THE NATURAL FOOD FAILURE THAT HAPPENED IN 2012.

BEAR POPULATIONS SHOULDN'T CHANGE THAT FAST.

NOBODY'S EVER RECORDED THAT MUCH OF A CHANGE IN A SINGLE YEAR.

IT'S REALLY STRIKING.

NOW WE ALSO COLLECTED DATA ON YOU.

THAT TECHNICIAN THAT WAS DRIVING AROUND AT 5 A.M.

COLLECTED DATA ON WHETHER YOU HAD YOUR TRASH LOCKED UP OR NOT, AND SO WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT IF ABOUT 60% OF PEOPLE ON A BLOCK WERE COMPLYING WITH THE ORDINANCE, THEY WERE LOCKING UP THE TRASH, YOU HAD A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN CONFLICTS IF 60%, 70% OF YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE ALL LOCKING UP THEIR TRASH, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S GOT A REALLY LOW PROBABILITY OF HAVING A CONFLICT.

[DOG BARKS] YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SET OF TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE TO MANAGE BEAR CONFLICT, BUT WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS IS THE TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL AS AN AGENCY JUST DON'T WORK REALLY.

THEY DON'T CHANGE HUMAN BEHAVIOR VERY WELL, AND THEY DON'T CHANGE BEAR BEHAVIOR.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

WHAT DOES WORK?

REDUCING HUMAN FOOD, REDUCING THE BENEFIT OF WHY THEY COME TO TOWN WHILE YOU KEEP RISK HIGH.

TIPPING THAT BALANCE, THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT WORKS.

LAST WEEK, THOUGH, WE GOT INCREDIBLE NEWS, AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT THE CITY OF DURANGO IS USING THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY TO INVEST $600,000 TO BEAR-PROOF THE REST OF DURANGO.

[APPLAUSE] YEAH.

DURANGO WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST COMMUNITIES IN COLORADO THAT REALLY TAKES THIS ON AND JUST DECIDES AS A CITY WE'RE JUST GOING TO JUST HAVE BEAR-PROOF TRASH CANS.

THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE THE NEW NORMAL HERE, AND WE HOPE THAT DURANGO REALLY KIND OF SETS THE EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COLORADO COMMUNITIES IN BEAR COUNTRY ON WHAT HAS TO BE DONE.

IN THE PAST I THINK, WE TRIED TO THINK OF OUR ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM, KIND OF THE BEARS AND THE PEOPLE AS TWO SEPARATE THINGS, AND CERTAINLY AS A MANAGEMENT AGENCY THAT'S HOW WE'VE KIND OF TREATED THINGS LIKE BEARS AND OTHER ANIMALS, AS KIND OF SEPARATE FROM THE HUMAN SYSTEM.

FROM OUR RESEARCH, WE ARE LEARNING THAT WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT 5.6 MILLION PEOPLE IN COLORADO.

BY 2050, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BETWEEN 9 AND 10 MILLION PEOPLE.

SO ALMOST A DOUBLING OF OUR POPULATION SIZE IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS, AND THIS FOOTPRINT IS REALLY GOING TO CHANGE AS A RESULT OF THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, NOW MORE THAN EVER IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT MAINTAINING LARGE CARNIVORES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE NEED TO CHANGE HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

LOCKING UP OUR TRASH, TAKING DOWN OUR BIRD FEEDERS, YOU KNOW, HOW TO SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC LANDS, OUR WILD SPACES THAT ARE LEFT.

WE KIND OF HAVE TO CHANGE OUR THINKING TO RECOGNIZING THAT WE TRULY DO SHARE A SINGLE LANDSCAPE.

WELL, I HOPE THAT BY PEOPLE LOOKING AT OUR STUDY, LOOKING AT OUR PAPERWORK-- OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING BEAR PROBLEMS IN CITIES MORE AND MORE ALL THE TIME, AND THEY CAN GO, "LOOK WHAT THEY DID IN DURANGO," BECAUSE THIS IS A URBAN STUDY THAT THEY CAN LEARN BY IT.

THEY CAN READ THAT AND SAY, "HEY, THIS IS-- THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO."

DAVE: AS FAR AS BEARS AND WILDLIFE?

YEAH, WE HAVE WAYS BEFORE WE GET TO A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP, BUT I THINK WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.

HEATHER: SO, YOU KNOW, TIME WILL TELL.

WE'LL SEE, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR LANDSCAPES AND WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT DO WE WANT THESE LARGE CARNIVORES TO BE HERE, AND IF SO, WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE COEXIST AND WHAT DO MAYBE WE NEED TO DO AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE IN OUR BEHAVIOR TO MAKE COEXISTENCE POSSIBLE.

YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU START DOWN THIS PATH OF DOING WILDLIFE WORK, YOU JUST KIND OF GET ADDICTED TO THIS WORK OF BEING OUTSIDE, LEARNING ABOUT WILD THINGS AND WILD PLACES, ESPECIALLY WORK ON A CRITTER THAT'S INTERESTING AS A BLACK BEAR.

I MEAN, THESE GUYS ARE JUST SO SMART.

THEY'RE SO LONG-LIVED.

THEY HAVE GREAT STORIES TO TELL.

[CUB WHINING] [WHISPERING] OH, WE HAVE CUBS.

WE HAVE CUBS TODAY.

DRAYTON: IN TERMS OF BEARS KILLED, THERE WERE 10 WE HAD TO KILL, WERE 6 THAT WERE SHOT BY LANDOWNERS OR WILDLIFE SERVICES, AND THERE WERE ACTUALLY 15 THAT WERE ROADKILL.

MAN: TODAY, WE'RE CURRENTLY STARTING THE FIRST PHASE OF THE TWO-YEAR.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WITH WILDLIFE-RESISTANT CONTAINERS.

TURN THE KNOB, LIFT THE HANDLE, INSERT YOUR GARBAGE, RELEASE THE HANDLE, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK.

HEATHER: SINCE WE FINISHED IN THE FIELDWORK ON THE STUDY, WE SPENT THE LAST FEW YEARS SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ANALYZING DATA, WRITING SCIENTIFIC PAPERS, AND SPEAKING ABOUT OUR WORK TO AUDIENCES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING AND WHAT'S REALLY REWARDING FOR ME ABOUT THIS NOW IS I GET TO HEAR FROM WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS, WILDLIFE OFFICERS, AND PEOPLE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOW USING THE RESEARCH IN THE PAPERS THAT WE PUBLISHED.

NOW IT'S OUT IN THE WORLD AND BEING USED TO REALLY PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE.

THAT'S HOPEFULLY GOING TO HELP BEARS AND PEOPLE COEXIST.