Successful management of any wildlife species is largely dependent upon available knowledge of the species and its habitat.  In the September/October, 1991 issue of Alaska's Wildlife (Managing Brown Bear, Cherry), it was stated that ... "Over the past 10 years more time and money has gone into research on brown bears than on any other species in Alaska.".  That effort continues today.   And on the Kodiak Archipelago, a long-standing State/Federal partnership has been responsible for one of Alaska's most successful bear research programs.

Research biologists from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have collected an impressive amount of data concerning Kodiak brown bears.  In the 1991 article, ADF&G biologist Roger Smith said, "The USFWS and ADF&G are committed to ongoing research projects.  We have been involved with the bear tagging program since 1982.  Since then, USFWS and ADF&G have captured 310 brown bears.  Approximately 200 of these have been radio-collared.  

--information provided by the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge