BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) captured and relocated an adult male grizzly bear from Bridger-Teton National Forest on August 19 and an adult female grizzly bear from Shoshone National Forest on August 20 for two separate cattle livestock depredation situations.
In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the male grizzly bear was relocated to the Five Mile Creek drainage approximately five miles from the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The female grizzly bear was relocated to the Mormon Creek drainage approximately 42 miles west of Cody.
WGFD Public Information Officer Breanna Ball told Buckrail that both grizzlies were involved in the attack of calves in the different regions.
“We are having a very active conflict season this year,” Ball said. “Livestock depredation is our most common conflict between humans and grizzly bears, representing 60 to 80% of our annual verified conflicts depending on the year.”
Ball said that neither bear had a previous conflict history, and there was no aggression toward humans. Both bears were marked and fitted with radio collars to track their movements.
According to the WGFD, grizzly bear relocation is a management tool large carnivore biologists use to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears. Capture is necessary when other deterrents or preventative options are exhausted or unattainable. If relocation is warranted, a site is determined by considering the age, sex and type of conflict the bear was involved in as well as potential human activity nearby. With any relocation, Game and Fish consults with appropriate agencies to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the relocated grizzly bear’s survival.
Bears that are considered a threat to human safety are removed from the population if they cannot be relocated successfully.
Game and Fish stresses the importance of the public’s responsibility in bear management. People are to keep attractants such as food, garbage, horse feed and bird seed unavailable to bears.
