Grizzly Bear Captures for Research Purposes Set to Begin in Yellowstone National Park
Written by Jessi Entel on August 24, 2023
As part of ongoing efforts required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone area, scientific capture operations are about to begin within Yellowstone National Park.
Biologists who are apart of the Interagency Grizzly Bears Study Team will begin field captures on Aug. 28 and continue through Oct. 31.
Capture areas where work is being conducted will be marked with warning signs.
It is critical that all members of the public heed these signs.
Monitoring grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem is crucial to the ongoing recovers of the species.
In order to attract the bear, biologists use natural food sources such as fresh roadkill deer or elk.
The potential capture sites are baited with the natural food sources. If there are any signs that bears are in the area, culvert traps or foot snares are used to capture the bears.
Once the bears are captured, they are handled in accordance with the struct safety and animal care protocols developed by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, and approved by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service.
