BY STEVE FRIESS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLE RM JOHNSON
hebeardestined tobecomeknownasGreen-7 isboth rightwherewewanther
and far fromwhere shebelongs.Afterweeks of fleeting sightings by tourists at
YosemiteNationalPark,she’snowseated inashadymeadow,beneatha looming
standof incensecedartrees,munchingonchokecherries.Fromourvantagepoint
about40 feet away,she seemsblissfullyunawareof thedragnet formingaround
her,that therearewildliferangersmingledwith themanycampersnowgawking
at themagnificent creature in theirmidst.
More thananything, it’s thisanimal’s lackof fearofnearbyhumans thatworrieswildlife
biologistRyanLeahy,Yosemite’s field lead focused, in the park’s parlance,onmitigating
human-bearconflict.She’snomore than18monthsoldandon the small side,andalready
she’sbecomeaccustomedtoforaging inapatchofforestthat’swithineyeshotoftrailsandtwo
popularYosemitecampgrounds.“Thisbear’shabituated topeople,”muttersaworriedLeahy.
“Look how close we are, and she’s not spooked.Not good, not good.That’s not wild
behavior at all.Thenext thing that happens is she thinks, ‘I’m just going towalk right up
topeople.’”Or, just as likely, camperswill toss the adorable furball a burger.That,Leahy
has repeatedly explained, is theworst possibleoutcome for her.
ABOVE: THEBLACKBEAR THAT, DURINGOURVISIT,WOULDBE TAGGEDGREEN-7
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