Should humans help Kathy the grizzly bear?

Think for a moment of the philosophical dividing line. The one which exists between humans who believe we ought to leave nature alone, and those who desire to continuously tinker, either to manipulate environments into beneficial human uses, or to intervene when something goes awry.

It's a conundrum wildlife managers in the West often face as they attempt to reconcile the ambiguous relationship our species has with the wild world around us.

So imagine, now, that you are asked to decide the outcome of a dilemma playing out this winter along the eastern flanks of the Rockies south of Glacier National Park.

Picture "Kathy," a 16-year-old sow grizzly, shot in the head by a terrified deer hunter who acted in self defense last fall when the big, 500-pound mama charged out of concern for her three cubs near Dupuyer Creek on the Dry Fork of the Marias River.

The bullet was fired from between 10 and 15 feet with a .270-caliber rifle. It's unclear if the slug still resides in the bear's skull.

Kathy survived the initial wounding but since then she's wandered more than 200 miles with her brood, in a possibly disoriented state, and for some reason has resisted what bears normally do in winter: den.

Because this ursid clan hasn't yet found shelter from the harsh elements, many folks are worried about its welfare.

Biologists working with the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks have done an admirable job of keeping the public apprised. However, they have resisted calls to trap Kathy to see if she needs medical care.

Wildlife agencies, after all, operate with the objective of perpetuating populations of species rather than focusing on trying to micromanage individual animals. It only makes sense.

Despite our human tendency to adopt a soft and cuddly, Walt-Disney attitude toward animals like Kathy, the cold, hard truth is that should this bear and her offspring die, it won't result in the grizzly population of the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem going down the tubes.

But does that mean we should simply stand on the sidelines and watch "nature take its course," arguing that no matter what happens to Kathy and her cubs, it was meant to be?

My own bias finds agreement with bear managers who are concerned about channeling finite resources into conserving bear populations, though I'm not convinced we shouldn't intervene.

Already, a great deal of resources has been committed to monitoring Kathy from the ground and air, and her tale is fast turning into a national fascination.

Kathy's head wound, arguably, came from an extraordinary act. Could veterinary attention help keep her healthy in the wild? Further, what is the wisdom of having an injured grizzly, with cubs at her side, roaming through areas populated by people? (Note: this is not a plea to have Kathy rounded up and sent to a wild animal park).

The tragedy is that Kathy was precisely the kind of grizzly society wants in the modern world. Although she killed pigs in the 1980s - in the human equivalent of her rebellious teenage years - she has turned out to be, in adulthood, what one biologist called an exemplary "suburban bear parent."

She's an attentive mother and good teacher, she moves at night to avoid conflict with people, and she leaves livestock alone.

What, if anything, should be done? Kathy's fate rests in the hands of torn wildlife managers and nature.

Rupert Pilkington, who oversees an Internet discussion group called Grizzly Commons notes that fortunately Kathy appears to still be feeding and nursing her cubs. The severity of her injury is yet unknown.

"She attests wholly to the strength and endurance of these incredible animals, and there is every chance, now, that this story will have a happy ending," Pilkington writes with hope. "If you have any wishes to spare, wish these bears into hibernation soon, as they will be needing it, and, for the cubs, certainly, the coming summer will be easier on them if they can get some winter sleep."

Todd Wilkinson lives in Bozeman and writes as a correspondent for several magazines and newspapers.