Jack Hanna to Host Popular Grizzly Bear Fundraiser

BIGFORK—A popular annual fundraiser for Montana wildlife biologists who oversee the state’s grizzly bear and lion populations is scheduled for July 10 at Jack and Suzi Hanna’s farm near Bigfork.

 Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation—formerly the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Foundation—organizes the yearly event in order to give state biologists the tools and personnel they need to, among other things, manage grizzly populations in areas where populations are strong and to relocate a few grizzlies from around Kalispell to the Cabinet Mountains where numbers are low.

Jack Hanna is the director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and celebrity wildlife expert known for taking animals on TV talk shows in order to educate people about the importance of wildlife preservation.  The Hannas have hosted the Grizzly Bear Rendezvous for the past seven years and raised a total of about $500,000 in that time, according to the Legacy Foundation’s chair, Dennis Konopatzke.

 “As our grizzly bear and lion numbers are increasing, the need for biologists, interns and seasonal technicians to respond to calls from the public is increasing, too,” Jane Ratzlaff, Executive Director of Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation. “The last couple years we’ve been able to fund boots on the ground technicians and interns from local universities to help biologists with management and eduational outreach, provide fuel for vehicles and make money available for things like bear fairs, trail cameras, GPS collars and other equipment they use for collaring and tracking bears.   This year we have available an $80,000 match available so we hope to meet that with this event.

Since grizzly bear and mountain lion territories often overlap in such a way that makes it convenient to carry out field work for both species, funds have also been used to fund a mountain lion management. If funds permit, the foundation intends to extend other aspects of the program to include the wild cats.

Auctioneer Marc Vasser will lead a small art auction featuring original works donated by several regional artists as well as some outstanding field trips. The auction will feature, among other items, a field trip with biologists,  an original grizzly painting by Dee Dee Cooper and a Ram skull elaborately decorated by Jana Waller.

The event will include music by Shane Clouse and his band, Stomping Ground, and will be catered by Chris Ricciardi.   Special guests include biologists, Jack and Suzi Hanna, Jeff Hegener from Fish, Wildlife and Parks and several raptors!

Space is limited to 350 attendees. Tickets are $125 and available HERE or by calling (406) 892-7551.