The Bears of Grand Teton - (America's Public Lands) by Sue Consolo-Murphy (Paperback)

About the Book

Sue Consolo-Murphy's autobiographical narrative traces the history of bear management in Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole area, considering in particular bears' interaction with livestock.

Book Synopsis

The Bears of Grand Teton is the first comprehensive history of bears, black and grizzly, and their interactions with people in Grand Teton National Park and the surrounding area of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It is also a personal account by Sue Consolo-Murphy, who spent thirty years as a wildlife manager for the National Park Service.

Consolo-Murphy focuses on the natural, cultural, and administrative histories of bears in and around Grand Teton National Park and the nearby John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, paying particular attention to bears' interactions with livestock. Entertaining and educational, The Bears of Grand Teton also explores the phenomenon of social media celebrity bears--such as Grizzly 399, the world's most famous bear--and the challenges of listing and removing grizzly bears from Endangered Species Act protection.

Review Quotes

"In this engrossing narrative, Consolo-Murphy covers the region's history, including local Native Americans and their relationships with bears, on to early outsiders and those who established the park. . . . Readers will gain valuable insights into these remarkable animals in a book suitable for pleasure reading and research."--James Pekoll, Booklist

"A masterpiece of well-researched history, colorful lore, pioneering science, and the savvy of personal experience. Sue Consolo-Murphy, uniquely qualified to write this book by virtue of her decades of productive work on behalf of the region's bears, has given us the authoritative and richly textured tale we've long needed. From here on out, anyone hoping to come to terms with Teton bears should start by reading this book."--Paul Schullery, author of The Bear Doesn't Know

"A wonderful look at the black and grizzly bears of Grand Teton National Park. It is a fascinating story of expansion and change, with grizzlies such as famous 399 and her offspring going south to colonize new lands."--Robert W. Righter, author of Crucible for Conservation: The Struggle for Grand Teton National Park

"This book is a delight to read. . . . It is a story of bears and people and how we can live with them."--Christopher Servheen, retired grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

About the Author

Sue Consolo-Murphy is retired from Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, where she worked as chief of science and resource management from 2003 to 2019, after decades with the National Park Service at various locations. She was the 2013 recipient of the National Park Service Director's Award for Excellence in Natural Resource Management and was a 2008 honoree of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee's award for significant contributions to grizzly bear recovery.