An adult grizzly sow that had been killing and eating cattle northwest of Cody was captured on Sunday and moved to an area near the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
After a consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department captured and relocated the adult female grizzly on August 6th.
Grizzly Captured on Private Ranch Land
Game and Fish officials say she was captured after livestock were killed on private land northwest of Cody. The bear was relocated to the Five Mile Creek drainage approximately five miles from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
Bears are relocated in accordance with state and federal law and regulation. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is required by those regulations to notify the public whenever this occurs.
Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones
Problem bears, particularly females and cubs are moved to areas called Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones that were drawn up by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service back in 1993 and are part of the Grizzly Bear Recovery Program. All told there are six recovery zones designated in the western United States and parts of Canada. This includes the Greater Yellowstone Recovery Zone.
The Yellowstone Recovery Zone is about 9200 square miles and is located in northwest Wyoming, Eastern Idaho, and Southwest Montana Almost all of the Zone is on federal land, including all of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and the Bridger-Teton, Shoshone, Beaverhead-Deer Lodge, Caribou-Targhee, and Custer-Gallatin National Forests and associated Wilderness Areas.
Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones in the West
- The Greater Yellowstone, often referred to as GYE, in Northwestern Wyoming, Eastern Idaho and Southwestern Montana
- The Northern Continental Divide, also referred to as NCDE, located in North-Central Montana
- The North Cascades area of North-Central Washington
- The Selkirks,comprising land in an area of Northern Idaho, Northeast Washington and Southeast British Columbia
- The Cabinet-Yaak, referred to as CYE, area of Northwestern Montana and Northern Idaho
- The Bitterroot, also referred to as BE, in the Bitterroot Mountains of Central Idaho and Western Montana
Grizzly Relocation as a Management Tool
Game and Fish biologists use relocation as a tool to manage the grizzly population and reduce potential conflicts with humans. It is used when other options or deterrents have not worked. When a decision is made to capture a bear that is creating a conflict, Game Wardens must determine if the bear is a candidate for relocation based on factors like age, gender and what type of problems the bear was causing.In addition, Game and Fish officials consider the proximity of human activity in the area.
Grizzlies that are determined to be a threat to human safety are euthanized and bears that are relocated are only moved to the Recovery Zone or adjacent land.
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