A grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. This is not the bear that was euthanized. Photo: NPS // Eric Johnston

Update: Dan Tompson, Large Carnivore Supervisor at Wyoming Game and Fish Department explained that the two-year-old male grizzly had been observed seeking out human food, getting into trash and bird feeders in a neighborhood just south of Grand Teton National park. The department relocated the grizzly bear on May 7th to a location about 20 miles northwest of Moran. About two weeks later the grizzly bear was back in the same neighborhood.

“Based on the bear’s behavior and the fact that the relocation attempt failed and that it was seeking out food at residential areas we decided to put down that bear,” said Thompson. He explained that the decision was based on interagency expertise, “generally, a 2-year-old bear does not seek out a house for food.”

At this point, the department can not confirm that the grizzly was an offspring of Grizzly 610. DNA results will not be available until next winter. Yet, Thompson said, “It is highly likely that it’s one of 610s offspring.”

“We don’t make those decisions lightly. None of us got into this job to kill bears. We’ve dedicated our lives to this and it weighs on all of us,” said Thompson. 

The grizzly was put down on May 22.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story, more information will be provided as it is released.

JACKSON, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently euthanized a grizzly bear.

According to Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), on May 18 there was a report of a collared grizzly bear putting paws on a door of a house in the Colter Bay developed area. Park staff reportedly hazed the bear from the developed area.

“This was the same bear that Wyoming Game and Fish recently removed from the population,” said GTNP.

The Park describes hazing as a technique where deterrents are directed at bears opportunistically to immediately, but temporarily, modify the bear’s behavior.  The park uses clapping, yelling, vehicle pressure, human pressure, lights, sirens, horns, or other noise, throwing/rolling small rocks, and the use of bean bags, rubber bullets, or cracker shells.

According to GTNP, it is unknown if this is an offspring of grizzly bear 610. Grizzly 610 is an offspring of famed Grizzly 399. 

Lindsay is a contributing reporter covering a little bit of everything; with an interest in local policies and politics, the environment and amplifying community voices. She's curious about uncovering the "whys" of our region and aims to inform the community about the issues that matter. In her free time, you can find her snowboarding, cooking or planning the next surf trip.