Idaho Grizzly Bear Relocated

Last week, after consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game relocated an approximately four-year-old male grizzly bear.

Wildlife Services began trapping near Coyote Meadows in the eastern part of the state.  IDFG says this is an area that has experienced confirmed cattle depredation from grizzly bears as of recent.  On the night of July 1st, a young grizzly bear was captured while visiting the kill site.  Given the bear's smaller track size when compared with tracks previously found in the area, it was determined not to be the target bear.

This Is Not The Bear You're Looking For

Without any direct evidence tying this bear to a depredation, the decision was made to relocate.  The young male grizzly was immobilized, given a body condition and health assessment, fitted with a GPS collar, and relocated to a remote area in the Fish Creek drainage on Forest Service land approximately 12 miles from the City of Island Park.  While not always possible, relocation is a management tool that wildlife biologists use to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears.

Relocation sites are chosen after considering the age, sex, and type of conflict the bear was involved in, as well as the proximity to nearby human activity. Because of the inability to move bears across state lines and the limited size of Idaho’s grizzly bear recovery zone within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, few suitable relocation sites exist.

Grizzlies Are Federally Protected

Grizzly bears are federally protected and relocated in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. IDFG is required to update the public whenever a grizzly bear is relocated and will continue to monitor this bear’s movements and activities. Before any relocation occurs, IDFG consults with the appropriate agencies to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the relocated grizzly bear’s chance of survival.

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