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Grizzly Gulch Creaturefuge

grizzly cubs
Grizzly Gulch: a "maternity ward" for grizzlies

Question: What North American animals do kids most want to save?

The answer: Grizzly bears.

Kids are our future. They’re also key to the future of wildlife preservation. So, the theory goes, get them involved in conservation when they are young.

That’s what Chris and Martin Kratt, the creators and stars of public television’s Kratts’ Creatures and Zaboomafoo with the Kratt Brothers, have wanted to do since they first got involved in television focused on animals and kids.

After an on-line poll showed kids’ strong support for protecting grizzlies, the Kratt brothers began looking for land they could protect as a home for grizzlies. With help from The Nature Conservancy of Montana, they found it: a 1,222-acre property in the heart of grizzly country near Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness.

"When we went up to this property to check it out, it had lots of grizzly sign. Now we know that this property is like a maternity ward for grizzlies," says Martin.

The property is on Montana’s wildlife-rich Rocky Mountain Front. With the exception of bison, virtually every wildlife species found in this area upon the arrival of Lewis and Clark remains today.

The brothers purchased the land and named it Grizzly Gulch Creaturefuge. To assure that the land will be permanently protected, the Kratts placed a conservation easement on the property with the Conservancy.

Eventually the Kratts would like to film grizzlies at the property and place it on the web as a way to involve kids in managing the property for grizzly bears and other wildlife.

One of the subjects they hoped to feature was Bonita, a sow who had two cubs that liked to "spend a lot of time at two beaver ponds," says Martin. "This place is the perfect habitat for raising cubs," he adds.

Like other areas along the Front, this property is a transition zone where the mountains meet the plains. It offers prime habitat for sows to feed and rear their cubs during the warm season. The grizzlies descend from the high country in the spring to forage among the aspens, limber pines, wetlands and streams. In addition to seeking winterkilled deer and elk, the grizzlies also feed on cow parsnips, angelica, horsetail and other plants.

Because Grizzly Gulch is a preserve for grizzlies, public access is limited to those involved in managing the preserve and to researchers and educators. The Kratt brothers are responsible for managing the preserve, but they receive help from the Conservancy and neighboring ranchers.

The Kratts are enthusiastic about the partnership with The Nature Conservancy. "I’ve always admired the Conservancy," says Martin, "and we want to do more work with them. We bring to this arrangement eager young conservationists, and the Conservancy brings their expertise with conservation."

Likewise, the partnership should help the Conservancy raise the national visibility of its efforts to preserve grizzly bear habitat.