MOOSE, Wyo.— To support black bear research and grizzly monitoring across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey will be conducting bear capture operations in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway from May 24 to October 15.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team is carrying out the grizzly bear work to document recovery under the Endangered Species Act.
“Data gathered from capturing bears informs ongoing research and management efforts and is vital to the continued conservation of black and grizzly bear populations across the region,” GTNP said via press release.
When bear capture operations are being conducted, trap sites will be posted with bright warning signs to inform the public of area closures.
“For bear and human safety, the public must respect these closures and stay out of the posted areas,” GTNP said via press release. “All trap sites in the park will be located away from established roadways, hiking trails and backcountry campsites.”
According to GTNP, agency biologists use natural food sources, such as road-killed elk, to bait bears into culvert traps. Once captured, bears are handled with strict safety and animal care protocols. After handling, bears are allowed to fully recover before being released on-site.
Information about grizzly bear monitoring is available from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team’s website.
