JACKSON, Wyo. — According to a press release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, and Teton County Sheriff are continuing unified efforts to ensure the safety of both bears and people, by conducting intermittent hazing.
While “hazing” may sound bad, it’s really a method of a necessary tough love to help the animals keep their distance from humans, and allow us to coexist and keep wildlife safe, according to the interagency press release.
Interagency staff have witnessed wildlife viewers and photographers parking unlawfully on the roadway and approaching wildlife in an unsafe manner. The behavior of wild animals remains unpredictable, particularly a grizzly bear with offspring.
The local community, particularly wildlife viewers and photographers, can assist to ensure a safe future for humans and bears by modeling the appropriate behaviors such as:
- Continue to avoid the Togwotee Pass area, ensuring efforts to date remain successful, mitigating the need for further action.
- Never approach bears; remain in your vehicle, or at a minimum, stay at least 100 yards (300 feet) away, about the length of a football field.
- Do not feed, leave food for, or make food accessible to wildlife.
- Obey signs, laws, and regulations – stop only in lawfully designated paved pull-off areas.
- Follow the direction of law enforcement and wildlife management officials; never interfere with or approach hazing operations.
