©Eric Johnston // NPS

JACKSON, Wyo. — August marks the beginning of a period of foraging for black and grizzly bears as whitebark pine cones mature. …cones that began growing in late May 2023 are currently completing their development. …whitebark pine seeds are one of the most nutritious foods for bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. …the seeds are a high-energy food that are rich in fats, carbohydrates and protein, extremely valuable to bears fattening up going into fall before hibernation. …Clark’s Nutcracker are key to the extraction and dispersal of these seeds, what is called a “critical and obligate mutualism.” Bears must access the indehiscent cones themselves and extract the seeds with their claws, lips and tongue. Red squirrel middens, or caches, on the ground provide access to the cones, but grizzly bears will also pull down branches to access cones. Some grizzlies and most black bears will also climb into trees to obtain them.