A grizzly bear was euthanized after a recent cattle depredation in south Park County.
 
The adult male bear was captured shortly after it killed a cow on private land on Wednesday. In consultation with federal partners at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Wildlife Services, the decision was made to euthanize the bear due to this depredation and past depredations in the area.
 
Relocating bears safely is difficult at this time of year because of many factors, including high bear densities, heavy recreation use and other land uses in nearby areas.
 
This is the second management removal of a grizzly bear this year within the demographic monitoring area of Montana’s portion of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The first grizzly bear removed in this area in 2020 was captured and transferred to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone after gaining access to food at campgrounds in the Rainbow Point area.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working closely in Montana with FWP, Wildlife Services, the U.S. Forest Service and Tribal lands. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

Several grizzly bear recovery areas exist in or near Montana, including the Selkirk, Cabinet-Yaak, Northern Continental Divide, Bitterroot and Greater Yellowstone ecosystems.
 
Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in new places each year. Being prepared for such encounters is more important than ever, both to keep people and property safe and to cultivate healthy bear behavior.

For more information on avoiding negative encounters with bears, visit igbconline.org/bear-safety.