WYOMING — It’s been a busy black bear summer.
Valley residents have shared videos of recent bear sightings near developed areas, and earlier this month, a hiker was harmed in a surprise bear encounter on a Teton Pass trail. Yesterday, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) announced that a subadult male black bear had been captured and relocated after appearing near an elementary school in Gillette.
“Due to ongoing drought conditions and a reduction in natural food sources, black bears in northeast Wyoming are traveling widely in search of resources,” WGFD stated.
While the Gillette incident occurred hundreds of miles from the Jackson area, similar conditions are present in western Wyoming. According to Drought.gov, 99.7% of the state is under drought conditions; Teton County is split between moderate drought (depicted below in light orange) and severe drought (bright orange). Areas highlighted in red are considered to be in extreme drought.
Also in play: It appears to be a suboptimal year for wild berry availability. Representatives from WGFD and Teton Conservation District last week shared with Buckrail that the unusual weather patterns observed in winter and spring seem connected to a poor berry crop. As bears enter hyperphagia and bulk up on calories ahead of winter hibernation, bird feeders and other residential attractants are likely hard to resist.
WGFD encourages folks to report any sightings of bears in residential or developed areas. In Jackson, call (307) 733-2321 and/or local law enforcement.
“Quick reporting by the public allows wildlife managers more management options,” the agency stated.
