How the culture wars came for grizzly bears

THE UNIVERSITY of Montana is used to the idea of grizzly bears. This towering predator is the college mascot, and the campus in Missoula is plastered with grizzly memorabilia. Purple paw prints (lethal claws included) are painted on the pavements. Banners on lampposts tell students to “Rise and roar”. Students can frequent Grizzly Grocery, Grizzly Espresso and—if they are of age—Grizzly Liquor. But recently communities around the university have been confronted with something a bit beyond college spirit: actual grizzly bears.