Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) proudly announces that Maria Davidson, SCIF’s Large Carnivore Program Manager, has been recognized with the Excellence in Wildlife Conservation Award by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) for her outstanding leadership and commitment to bear safety, wildlife conservation, and public education throughout Wyoming.
Davidson’s efforts have been instrumental in enhancing public safety and promoting bear conservation in Wyoming. She coordinated and secured funding for WGFD’s spring and fall bear spray training programs, which provided bear safety education to more than 12,000 participants. These programs included hands-on training with a remote-controlled bear simulator, allowing attendees to practice deploying bear spray during simulated encounters. Participants received free cans of bear spray upon completing the training.
In addition to the training programs, Davidson facilitated the installation of more than 40 bear-resistant food storage boxes at WGFD wildlife habitat management areas and U.S. Forest Service campsites. These installations aim to reduce human-bear conflicts by securing attractants that might otherwise draw bears into campsites.
Davidson also played a pivotal role in producing three bear safety videos. A short video displayed at the Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody reached over 72,000 viewers, while another video shown at gas station pumps across the state was viewed by more than 2 million people. A third video focused specifically on hunting safely in bear country, providing targeted information for the hunting community.
“The conservation efforts of Maria and SCIF have done more than simply promote bear safety; the interactions provide the people of Wyoming with information that promotes conservation, awareness and enhances support for Game and Fish projects and personnel,” said Brian DeBolt, Game and Fish large carnivore conflict coordinator.”
SCI Foundation congratulates Maria Davidson on this well-deserved recognition and thanks the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for its partnership in advancing wildlife conservation throughout the state.
