A report submitted by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee last week indicates a high rate of Grizzly Bear Captures last year, in efforts to deal with problem bears. That may change now that the bears are again listed as protected by the Endangered Species Act. More than half of the captures in 2018 resulted in euthanization. The Department reports it captured 53 individual grizzly bears in 59 capture events in an attempt to prevent or resolve conflicts – six bears were captured twice. Of the 59 capture events, 35 captures were a result of bears killing livestock (primarily cattle), 13 were captured for obtaining pet, livestock food, garbage, or damaging fruit trees. Nine bears were captured for frequenting developed sites or populated areas. Two bears were captured for killing a person. Of the 59 capture events, nearly half were in Park County, 20 were in Sublette County, and four were in Teton County. Six others were elsewhere in the state. Twenty-three bears were relocated including four that were released on site because they were non-target captures. Thirty-two bears were destroyed. Since September, the grizzly is back under Endangered Species Act Protections, which means a federal agency, not the state will now decide what happens with problem bears.
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