The Wyoming Game and Fish Department captured and relocated an adult female grizzly bear after consulting with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The bear was captured on August 6 due to “livestock depredation” on private land northwest of Cody. Wildlife officials relocated the bear to the area of the Five Mile Creek drainage, approximately five miles from the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department released in a a statement that bear relocations are always done in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. “Game and Fish is required to update the public whenever a bear is relocated,” said the press release.
Used by biologists to minimize conflicts between humans and and bears, grizzly bear relocation is a management tool that is also critical to their expanding population.
When other deterrents and preventative options are ineffective, the capturing bears becomes necessary. Once the animal is captured and under the care of wildlife officials, they are better able to determine if the bear will be best suited in a different environment nearby to minimize potential human contact.
A site for the bear is determined based off of the bear’s sex, type of conflict the bear was involved in, as well as the amount of human exposure the bear may come in contact with.
It is important to note that grizzly bears are only moved to designated recovery zones or adjacent areas. Wyoming Game and Fish officials always consult with the appropriate agencies throughout the relocation process.
“Bears that are considered a threat to human safety are not relocated,” says the release from the Wyoming Game and Fish. “In some cases, a bear may be removed from the population if it cannot be relocated successfully.”
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department continues to advocate for the importance of the public’s responsibility in bear management, along with the importance of containing any attractants such as food, garbage, horse feed, and bird seed unavailable to bears.
By reducing attractants, the likelihood of a human-bear conflict decreases.
For more information on grizzly bear management and how to be more “Bear Wise”, visit the Wyoming Game and Fish website.
