Why is Y2Y so focused on grizzly bears?
Many scientists recognize the grizzly bear as an ‘umbrella species,’ which means that if we can preserve and maintain well-managed, good-quality grizzly bear habitat, other animals and plants within that habitat will benefit. Grizzly bears require huge amounts of land to roam in search of food and mates, so their large habitat requirements make them a useful umbrella species to focus conservation efforts on. The population numbers of grizzly bears are a publicly and scientifically recognized indicator of the health of many ecosystems, so by focusing on grizzlies Y2Y can maintain, and where needed, restore the health of the region for all species within it. While Y2Y has substantial efforts to conserve grizzly bears, these efforts are complemented by additional efforts to conserve birds and fish across the Y2Y region. For more information, see the Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy.
