DNA study finds more grizzlies than expected The majestic grizzly bear, once king of the Western wilderness but threatened with extinction for a third of a century, has roared back in Montana. The finding, from a $4.8 million, five-year study of grizzly bear DNA described by Republican presidential candidate John McCain as pork barrel spending, could help ease restrictions on oil and gas drilling, logging and other development. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey said Tuesday that there are approximately 765 bears in northwestern Montana. That's the largest population of grizzly bears documented there in more than 30 years, and a sign that the species could be at long last recovering. The first-ever scientific census shattered earlier estimates that said there were at least 250 to 350 bears roaming an 8 million-acre area stretching from north of Missoula to the Canadian border. More recent data placed the minimum population at around 563 bears. "This is 2 1/2 times the number of bears previously estimated," said Katherine Kendall, the lead researcher, who said the results speak for themselves. "There is no evidence that the population size was ever severely reduced."....