See Montana’s New Grizzly Bear Conflict Dashboard in Action

If you live in Montana or love exploring its wild spaces, you’ve probably noticed grizzly bears showing up in spots they haven’t been seen in a long time. That’s because their populations are growing and spreading on both sides of the Continental Divide and around the Greater Yellowstone area. It’s great news for conservation but it also means more chances for people and bears to cross paths and sometimes, those meetings can lead to conflicts.

A New Tool to Keep You in the Know

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) understands that safety comes first. To help everyone stay informed, they just launched the Grizzly Bear Conflict Dashboard. Think of it as a live map and data hub that tracks where conflicts between people and grizzlies are happening, what kind of problems they involve, and how FWP is responding.

FWP Director Christy Clark said it best: managing these conflicts is a top priority and the workload is only getting bigger. This dashboard is designed to help the public get a clear picture of what’s going on in bear country, so you’re not left guessing.

What You’ll Find on the Dashboard

The dashboard updates regularly, but only after a conflict has wrapped up. Sometimes that can take a few days, depending on what happened and what actions FWP staff took. Right now, it’s tracking conflicts from mid-June onward, with earlier 2025 data being added when there’s time.

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The kinds of conflicts vary from bears getting into garbage to more serious encounters. FWP works closely with landowners and communities to not only respond but to help prevent future conflicts through education and support.

More Bear Info Coming Your Way

This isn’t the first time FWP has made bear data accessible. They released a Grizzly Bear Mortality dashboard last year and are working on a new relocation dashboard for this summer that will show where bears, both grizzly and black, are being relocated. All this information is part of a bigger effort to be transparent and keep Montanans engaged as grizzly populations grow and change.

Grizzlies Are Still Protected But Times Are Changing

Even with these population increases, grizzly bears remain protected under the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states. Montana, along with Idaho and Wyoming, has petitioned to remove that protection because the bears are doing so well in places like the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems.

Stay Bear Aware, Stay Safe

If you’re out enjoying Montana’s wild areas, whether hiking, camping, or living near bear country, practicing bear aware habits is key. The Grizzly Bear Conflict Dashboard is a great resource to check where recent conflicts have been reported. But remember, grizzlies can be found outside known conflict zones, so staying alert and informed is always a good idea.

Need Help?

If you run into a grizzly bear issue or want to learn more about preventing conflicts, reach out to FWP’s bear management specialists. Their contact info is easy to find on the FWP website. These experts are ready to help landowners and communities keep both people and bears safe.

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A Quick Heads Up on the Data

The conflict info on the dashboard only includes cases where FWP staff have responded. Some landowners might ask to keep their incidents private, so not every event shows up on the map. The data is displayed using a mapping system called quarter-quarter latitude and longitude blocks, which helps organize the locations neatly.