Grizzly bears have experienced such a resurgence throughout eastern Montana that in 2017, the state appointed its inaugural prairie-based grizzly coordinator: wildlife biologist Wesley Sarmento.
For nearly seven years, Sarmento endeavored to keep both the bears, still classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and the humans, expanding into former wilderness areas, out of harm’s way. Based in the small town of Conrad, population 2,553, he functioned similar to a first responder, attempting to mitigate potentially risky situations. He even found himself in some perilous scenarios—which is why, before departing the position to chase a PhD, he turned to drones for assistance.
The bear essentials
Sarmento was researching mountain goats in Glacier National Park when he initially began working with bears. To gain insight into how goats reacted to the apex predator, he donned a bear costume weekly for over three years.
When he eventually took on the role of grizzly manager, he frequently traveled long distances to discourage bears from approaching farms. Bears are attracted to spilled or leaking grains, and an unsealed silo quickly transforms into a feast. Sarmento typically arrived equipped with a shotgun, cracker shells, and bear spray, but after a narrow escape from being mauled one day, he realized he needed to change his approach.
“At that moment,” he recalls, “I thought, I am gonna get myself killed.”
A bird’s-eye perspective
Sarmento initially turned to two Airedale dogs, a breed recognized for deterring bears on farms, but the dogs were easily distracted. Meanwhile, drones were gradually becoming more widespread tools for biologists across various tasks, including bird counting and habitat mapping.
He first utilized one in the field in 2022, when a grizzly mother and her two cubs were discovered foraging in a silo near town. The drone’s infrared sensors aided him in quickly locating them, and he employed the device’s noise to shoo them away from the property. (Researchers theorize that bears inherently dislike the sound of blades because it resembles a buzzing swarm of bees.) “The entire process was so seamless and controlled,” he states. “And I executed it all from the safety of my vehicle.”
Since then, the aerial device that Sarmento purchased for $4,000—a rather basic model equipped with a thermal camera and 30 minutes of battery time—has proven its worth in spotting grizzlies in difficult terrain he would otherwise need to navigate on foot, such as thick underbrush or inaccessible riverbanks.
A new technological groundwork
Now studying wildlife ecology at the University of Montana, Sarmento aspires to create a drone that campus police can use to prevent black bears from entering school grounds. In the future, he envisions that AI image recognition could be widely integrated into his wildlife management efforts—perhaps even aiding drones in recognizing bears and autonomously redirecting them from busy areas.
This all contributes to preventing bears from adopting behaviors that result in conflicts with humans—which usually ends unfavorably for the bear and can sometimes be deadly for people.
“The ready-made technology isn’t available yet, but the ambition is to keep investigating possibilities,” he remarks. “Drones represent the next frontier.”
Emily Senkosky is a writer holding a master’s degree in environmental science journalism from the University of Montana.
