Grizzly bears once occupied a vast range on this continent that extended from central Mexico to the arctic coastal plain. Due to conflicts with humans during the past two centuries, however, the status of the grizzly bear has changed. Today, grizzlies exist in less than two percent of their former range south of Canada.

Alaska and northwestern Canada are the last strongholds of the grizzly. In order to protect the bear population in Denali National Park, the National Park Service has undertaken an active program to prevent bears from obtaining human food and garbage. I addition, every effort is made to keep humans out of areas critical to grizzly bears. Signs such as these are posted around kill sites not only to protect humans from bears, but also to prevent humans from disturbing the natural relationship between predator and prey.