YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Spring must be on its way, because the bears are starting to emerge from their long winter naps.
The first grizzly bear sighting in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) was reported on Friday, March 8, by social media user Kyle Vetter, who lists himself as a park ranger, which has not been verified by YNP. The observer identified the bear as 781, though this remains unconfirmed.
Vetter wrote that he spotted the grizz in Hayden Valley feeding on a bison carcass.
YNP has yet to officially confirm the emergence of the bear.
The timing of this sighting aligns with bear schedules of years past. In 2020, 2022 and 2023, the first YNP grizzly of the year was spotted on March 7. In 2021, the first sighting was logged on March 13.
Male grizzlies come out of hibernation in early March. Females with cubs emerge in April and early May. When bears emerge from hibernation, they look for food and often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter. Sometimes, bears will react aggressively to encounters with people when feeding on carcasses.
No grizzly bear sightings have been reported in 2024 in Grand Teton National Park. Buckrail will continue to monitor the emergence of grizzly bears in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, sharing more information as it becomes available and is verified by the park(s).
