Grizzly Comeback Spurs Drone Revolution in Wildlife Management

Grizzly bears are causing a stir in eastern Montana, and it's not just farmers they're surprising. The bears' comeback is such that the state hired its first prairie-based grizzly manager in 2017. Enter Wesley Sarmento, who spent years juggling bears and humans in Conrad, population 2,553. His mantra was simple: keep them out of trouble. But, the job wasn't as simple as it sounds.

Sarmento's work involved long drives to farms, armed with a shotgun and a handful of other deterrents. The bears, not ones to ignore a free meal, were drawn to leaking silos like kids to candy. Things got dicey when Sarmento narrowly escaped a bear attack. That's when he knew he needed a new plan.

Drones became his unexpected ally in 2022. While Sarmento had tried using Airedale dogs, they proved more interested in chasing other distractions. Drones, though, offered a controlled and safe solution. With a simple drone costing $4,000, equipped with a thermal camera, he could locate and deter bears without leaving his truck. Talk about a breakthrough!

But Sarmento isn't stopping there. Now a student at the University of Montana, he's working on drones for campus bear control. There's talk of AI stepping in to help drones identify and guide bears away autonomously. The tech's cutting edge, sure, but the outcome? Keeping both bears and humans out of harm's way.

Here's the kicker: as drones evolve, this tech might just set a new standard in wildlife management. Grizzlies get to roam, and humans get to stay safe. This changes things.