As the federally-protected grizzly bear continues to make its life outside of the wilderness enclaves of its recovery zones it is met with human civilization and the problems that arise as a result.

The folks whose lives and livelihood are on the line in these situations are the farmers and ranchers who work the land where civilization and wilderness meet.

In 2017, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks created the prairie grizzly bear team in response to the expanding grizzly bear population of the NCDE making its way from the mountains to the prairie.

What follows is a conversation I had earlier this year with Wesley Sarmento, the head of that prairie bear team.

This episode was recorded as we bumped along dirt roads outside Conrad, Montana. Sound quality may vary.