The Wyoming Game and Fish Department trapped and relocated an adult male grizzly bear Sept.25 and an adult male grizzly bear Sept. 26.  The bears were captured for killing livestock on a U.S. Forest Service grazing allotment north of Pinedale, WY.  In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Shoshone National Forest, the bears were independently relocated to the Fox Creek drainage of the Clarks Fork River approximately 15 miles northwest of Crandall, WY.  The release site is located in currently occupied grizzly bear habitat.

Grizzly bear relocation is a management tool afforded bear management personnel to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzlies. The decision to relocate and the selection of a relocation site is made taking multiple factors into consideration such as the animal’s age, sex, and type of conflict the bear was involved in. Since grizzly bears are listed as “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the appropriate land management agency is also made to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the survival potential of the relocated grizzlies. Bears are relocated in accordance with federal law and regulation. When selecting a relocation site, the department makes every consideration to minimize potential conflicts with people.

Bears can create conflicts after they have obtained food rewards. The department continues to stress the importance of keeping all attractants (food items, horse feeds, bird seed, and others) unavailable to bears. Reducing attractants reduces human-bear conflicts.