SUBLETTE COUNTY, Wyo. – A sow grizzly bear was captured and relocated last week in accordance with state and federal law and regulations.
The sub-adult female was a non-target capture while attempting to mitigate cattle depredation on a US Forest Service grazing allotment north of Pinedale on Friday, September 13. In cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the bear was relocated to Fall River drainage approximately 25 miles northwest of Moran Junction.
Grizzly bear relocation is a management tool afforded to large carnivore biologists to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears and is critical to the management of the population. Bears that are considered a threat to human safety are not relocated. When other options are exhausted or unattainable, Game and Fish will attempt to capture the bear.
Once the animal is captured, all circumstances are taken into account when determining if the individual should be relocated or removed from the population. If relocation is warranted, the selection of a relocation site is determined taking into consideration the age, sex, and type of conflict the bear was involved in as well as potential human activity in the vicinity of the relocation site.
This particular site was chosen due to the lack of human presence in the area. Consultation with the appropriate personnel and agencies occurs to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the survival potential of the relocated grizzly bear. Bears that are deemed an immediate threat to human safety are not released back into the wild.
