GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK — The grizzly bear struck by a car on Monday, Oct. 9, believed to be Grizzly 610, appears to have survived the incident.
GTNP Public Affairs Specialist Valerie Gohlke told Buckrail that one of the park’s bear biologists had observed the bear around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, and he reported to Gohlke that the bear “looked fine.”
“She doesn’t have any obvious external injuries, she’s not limping, she’s not avoiding putting weight on certain paws,” Gohlke said. “He saw her go under a fence and she seemed to do that with ease.”
Park staffers will keep an eye on the bear as long as they can track her location, considering that she is not collared or tagged.
The park is “almost positive” that the bear in question is Grizzly 610, but without DNA testing, this cannot be definitively confirmed. “They are almost sure because of identifying features and because of her cubs and location,” Gohlke said.
Gohlke also refuted rumors suggesting that park rangers had to haze the bear to get her away from the road.
“She got up and walked off completely on her own,” Gohlke said.
The apparent hit-and-run serves as a reminder that vehicle traffic through GTNP this summer has been more dangerous than usual for the park’s animals this year.
“It’s been a rough summer,” Gohlke said. “We know it’s a federal highway out there, but if people could please just slow down. This is the seventh bear that’s been hit this year. Please obey the speed limits, slow down and be observant in the park.”
By the park’s count, six black bears and now one grizzly have been hit by cars in 2023; GTNP confirmed that two of those black bears were killed, and they suspect an additional bear died from its injuries.
