Oregon was once grizzly country. Though the great silvertip bear (probably) no longer roams our state, its ghostly presence remains in Indigenous and Euro-American placenames and cultural lore. Its legacy also remains on landscapes from whitebark pine, oak savannas, and rainforest salmon streams, where, not long ago, one might have bumped into a “Grizz”.
In fact, credible sightings of the big bear still pop up in Northeast Oregon, and tracks have been confirmed within 20 miles of the border.
This webcast will summarize some of what we know – and might surmise – about the historical range and ecology of Oregon’s grizzlies. We’ll also touch upon the current status of the bear in the lower-48, particularly those populations nearest the Beaver State – and the ones most likely to repopulate the state if we give them a chance.
