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By Greg Bartlett

Since the year 2000, the black bear population throughout the state of Mississippi has been considered to be in danger of extinction. Concern over the extinction of this species has given researchers reason to track the bear population as much as possible and work to provide it – from a human-perspective – a greater likelihood of survival. In order to do this, researchers have placed GPS tracking devices on black bears in order to monitor these bears’ locations.

A GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking device uses the technology of the United States Air Force’s Global Positioning System to track and monitor the location and speed of any given person or object – including animals. Scientist studying many different creatures have found GPS tracking to be an incredible asset in their work. The GPS tracking devices on black bears in Mississippi report data to the scientists’ computers on a daily basis. The researchers have learned through this information that the black bear population is on a rise. Just in July 2009 a male black bear and a female black bear were found together in Mississippi.

This unusual sighting provides encouraging information to the scientists that black bear population will continue to grow. By attaching a GPS tracking device to the female bear, after tranquilizing her, the scientists hope to visit her den in the winter to learn how many cubs she births. Though man has hunted the black bear in Mississippi and even destroyed much of the land on which the black bear lives, the black bear seems to be re-populating at a steady rate. This encouraging news has been made possible through GPS tracking.