Renowned television personality and wildlife advocate Jack Hanna regaled a group of reporters at his Bigfork property with stories about his travels and his support for Montana bear managers Wednesday.

His presentation came as he gears up for the 2014 Grizzly Bear Rendezvous.

The July 11 event will be held at the Flathead lakefront home of Hanna and his wife, Suzi. It is a fundraiser for Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation, which supports bear management efforts in Montana.

Last year, it attracted more than 250 people and raised about $60,000 that was largely used to hire seasonal help for bear managers such as Tim Manley, the grizzly bear management specialist for the Flathead area.

Manley is busy responding to bear conflicts almost around the clock, particularly in the spring and fall when bears move into areas occupied by people, and he said he couldn’t do it as well without the help of Lindsey Stutzman, his assistant for the last four years. 

Hanna had high praise for Montana and Glacier National Park region, where he and his wife frequently hike, but he had special accolades for Manley and others who work to educate the public about how to avoid conflicts with bears.

“Tim is very good because he’s unassuming,” said Hanna, who went on to relate the experience he had with Manley in filming one of the most-watched episodes of his television show, “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild.”

He recalled how Manley worked with a low-income family in the Lake Five area after a grizzly bear had decimated their chickens, which provided a major food source.

The ability to convince people to alter their practices, by doing things such as putting up electric fencing or properly storing foods that might attract bears, is invaluable to bear conservation, he said.

Hanna, who is director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, said the zoo has 62 projects around the world, and half of them deal with people rather than animals. Education is key to conserving wildlife, whether it be in Montana or Africa. Hanna told of how highly protective wardens at an African refuge were once poachers at the same refuge.

“There’s always a way to educate people,” he said. “You can’t have conservation without education.” 

America’s wildlife conservation legacy largely rests on the shoulders of hunters, said Hanna, who is not a hunter himself. 

“The good hunter is the best conservationist in our country,” said Hanna, referring to how wildlife management programs are often mostly funded by hunting license dollars, as has long been the case in Montana.

The 2014 Grizzly Bear Rendezvous will feature musician Shane Clouse and his band, Stomping Ground. A new twist for this year’s event, the sixth to be held at the Hanna property, will be a small art auction featuring the work of regional artists.

Space is limited for the event. 

To purchase tickets, which cost $100, call the foundation at 406-444-6759 or visit the organization’s web site at www.mtoutdoorlegacy.org.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.