CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently announced that, after consultation with the Untied States Fish and Wildlife Service, it has captured and relocated two grizzly bear cubs — one male, one female — on Sept. 21.

That’s according to a release from Game and Fish, which states that the grizzly bears were captured on private land for frequenting a residence after multiple hazing attempts failed to change their behavior.

The release states that, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Shoshone National Forest, the bears were relocated to the Clarks Fork River drainage, approximately 26 miles northwest of Cody.

Grizzly bears are relocated in accordance with state and federal law and regulation, and Game and Fish is required to update the public whenever a grizzly bear is relocated.

According to the release, grizzly bear relocation is a management tool that large carnivore biologists utilize in order to minimize conflicts between grizzly bears and human beings. Bears that are considered a threat to human safety are not relocated. In some cases, bears could be removed from the population if they cannot be relocated successfully.

“Capture is necessary when other deterrents or preventative options are exhausted or unattainable,” the release states. “Once the animal is captured, all circumstances are taken into account when determining if the individual should be relocated. If relocation is warranted, a site is determined by considering the age, sex, and type of conflict the bear was involved in as well as potential human activity nearby.”

The release states that grizzly bears are only relocated into the recovery zone or adjacent areas. When it comes to any type of relocation, Game and Fish consults with the appropriate agencies in order to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the survival of the grizzly bear.

“Game and Fish continues to stress the importance of the public’s responsibility in bear management and the importance of keeping all attractants such as food, garbage, horse feed, [and] bird seed unavailable to bears,” the release states. “Reducing attractants available to bears reduces human–bear conflicts, and in some cases, relocations.”

For more information on grizzly bear management and ways to reduce potential conflicts, visit the Bear Wise Wyoming website.

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