Grizzly bear populations in the contiguous US have partially recovered through Endangered Species Act protection, but face threats from hunting proposals, habitat fragmentation, and human conflict.
Grizzly bears removed as 'problem bears' due to human conflict experience the acute welfare costs of capture, relocation, or lethal removal. Relocated bears often return to conflict areas - each relocation involves capture stress that is significant for large, powerful animals. Bears that access human food - campsites, garbage - become food conditioned and eventually face lethal management. Hunting proposals target 'recovered' populations before connectivity to historically occupied range is established. Individual welfare costs include the stress of living in human-dominated landscapes, conflict with ranchers, and potential wounding from defensive killing.