CASPER, Wyo. \u2014 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 \u2014 one male, one female \u2014 on Sept. 21.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
\u201cCapture is necessary when other deterrents or preventative options are exhausted or unattainable,\u201d the release states. \u201cOnce 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.\u201d <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
\u201cGame and Fish continues to stress the importance of the public\u2019s responsibility in bear management and the importance of keeping all attractants such as food, garbage, horse feed, [and] bird seed unavailable to bears,\u201d the release states. \u201cReducing attractants available to bears reduces human\u2013bear conflicts, and in some cases, relocations.\u201d<\/p>\n