Bears to be tracked in Yosemite by GPS for first time

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- For the first time, wildlife managers in Yosemite National Park will soon be able to track black bears in real time.

They'll use GPS collars to monitor the movements of the park's bears.

In the past, rangers have used radio signals, but once a bear leaves a populated area, the signals can't be read.

The San Francisco based-Yosemite Conservancy donated nearly $70,000 to outfit bears with GPS collars.

"It's very exciting to be able to know in real time and track them through a GPS system as they move about the park. To know where they're spending the spring, to know where they're spending the fall, to know where they den," Yosemite Conservancy president Mike Tollefson said.

Rangers will also use the data to keep bears away from campers, so the animals don't become dependent on human food sources.