CODY, Wyo. — Two grizzly bear cubs, one male and one female, were captured and relocated to an area outside of Cody on Sept. 21, according to an announcement by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD).
After consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), WGFD captured the two juvenile bears on private land after they had been frequenting a residence. Multiple hazing efforts did not change the bears’ behavior.
In coordination with FWS and the Shoshone National Forest, the bears were relocated to the Clarks Fork River drainage, about 26 miles northwest of Cody. This is the fourth bear relocation incident of the season that has taken place near the Shoshone National Forest.
According to WGFD, grizzlies are relocated to prevent conflicts between bears and humans, a “critical part of managing Wyoming’s growing grizzly bear population.” Bears that are considered a threat to human safety are typically not relocated, and instead are removed from the population. Bears are relocated for reasons including livestock depredation, habituated roadside behavior and more.
WGFD stresses the importance of the public’s responsibility in bear management. Wyomingites should keep all attractants (including food, trash, horse feed and bird seed) unavailable to bears.
For more information on grizzly bear management and reducing the potential for conflicts, see WGFD’s Bear Wise Wyoming webpage.
