Identification and management of linkage zones for grizzly bears between the large blocks of public land in the Northern Rocky Mountains

The fragmentation of carnivore habitat in the Rocky Mountains on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border is an ongoing threat to the survival and recovery of these populations. Human developments are the cause of this fragmentation. Major developments causing fragmentation include private land conversion into homesites and highway construction and improvement. If carnivores such as grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis), wolves, (Canis lupus), wolverines (Gulo gulo), lynx (Lynx lynx), and fishers (Martes pennanti) are to survive and recover to healthy population levels in the Rocky Mountains, the issue of fragmentation must be addressed in a proactive and effective manner