Hundreds of thousands of bears exist in North America, and that can lead to uncomfortable, harrowing, exciting encounters between them and humans. And the effects of drought and climate change, along with more people moving into more rural wilderness areas, can lead to an increase in the number of those encounters.
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, a conservation and large carnivore ecologist, works on helping humans and bears coexist in ways that may be less dangerous for all concerned.
On Feb. 23, at the Mesa Arts Center as part of the National Geographic Live speakers series, she'll be giving a presentation called "The Secret Life of Bears."
The Show spoke with her and began by asking how bears fit into her overall work of conservation ecology.
