The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, U.S. Forest Service, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and Teton County Sheriff Department are warning the public to practice responsible wildlife viewing activities and obey traffic laws on Togwotee Pass along U.S. Highway 26/287. This warning comes in response to unsafe conditions created by people and cars getting too close to grizzly bears that frequent the pas..
Key guidelines for responsible wildlife viewing and traffic laws include:
- Maintain a minimum distance of 100 yards from wildlife.
- Do not stop, stand, or park on the highway (in accordance with Wyoming Title 31).
- Avoid feeding or making food accessible to wildlife.
- Respect all signs, laws, and regulations.
- Cooperate with law enforcement and wildlife officials, and do not interfere with management operations.
The agencies emphasize that while seeing a grizzly bear can be an awe-inspiring experience, it is crucial to follow the guidelines to maintain the safety of bears and people. Approaching or blocking bears’ paths can lead to dangerous conflicts, habituate bears to human presence, and increase the risk of encounters.
Wildlife managers have taken significant action to prevent conflicts and keep bears away from roadsides, including hazing with Karelian bear dogs and staff monitoring. However, managing people who stop in the Togwotee Pass area remains a big challenge. Continued irresponsible behavior may necessitate further management actions, such as capturing and relocating bears.
The public is encouraged to follow the Bear Aware guidelines provided by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee to help keep bears wild and people safe.
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