Two Black Bears Involved in Separate Food-Related Conflicts in Glacier, One Euthanized
On June 5, an aggressive food-conditioned black bear was euthanized in West Glacier, according to a news release from Glacier National Park said.
The park said another black bear and cub could be relocated or euthanized after someone left a backpack unattended and the bears found food in it.
The euthanized bear was a 4-year old female black bear. The bear consistently attempted to enter vehicles and buildings on private property inside the park and was eventually successful in entering at least one building and a vehicle.
In 2022, the bear was captured in Kalispell by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and relocated to Puzzle Creek, south of Marias Pass. The bear was seen in the West Glacier area last year, but the increase in food-conditioned behavior began in June of this year.
On June 7, the Going-to-the Sun Road was opened to its entirety for hiker and biker access, but was closed in the afternoon above the loop after a female black bear with a cub-of-the-year received a food reward from an unattended backpack. Wildlife rangers are attempting to discourage the bears’ bad behavior. If unsuccessful, the bears may have to be relocated or euthanized per the park’s Bear Management Guidelines.
“Once a bear receives a human food reward, it is very likely to become food conditioned,” the park said. “Food rewards can include items such as human food, trash, livestock feed, and pet food.
“Over time, food conditioned bears may become bold or aggressive in their attempts to obtain human food. Once a bear has become food-conditioned, hazing and aversive conditioning are unlikely to be successful in reversing this type of behavior, and these bears are euthanized. Food-conditioned bears are not relocated due to human safety concerns.”
The park asked visitors to never let a bear get their backpacks, don’t stop near bears on the road, and view them from at least 100 yards. It said roadside bears quickly become habituated to people, and habituated bears may learn to frequent campgrounds, where they gain access to human food.
“To protect human life and property, bears that seek human food must be lethally removed from the population,” the park said.
For more information about recreating in bear country, please visit Bear Safety – Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service).