Large Number of Grizzlies Euthanized in Park County

A new report shows that Park County had more than its fair share of grizzly bears that were euthanized in 2018.

According to an article in the Powell Tribune, almost half of all the grizzly bears trapped and euthanized in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem last year were in Park County. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports that their agency captured a total of 53 grizzly bears in attempts to prevent or resolve conflicts; 29 of those were trapped in Park County.

The Game and Fish Department traps, relocates and removes bears if they become habituated to humans or cause trouble on private land – like preying on cattle, for example. More than half of the grizzlies that were trapped by Game and Fish this year were euthanized.

Dan Thompson, large carnivore section supervisor for the Game and Fish, told the newspaper that despite the number of animals killed, they are still below the mortality thresholds that show the population is fully recovered.

Additional information from the Game and Fish report shows that of the 32 bears that were removed from the Wyoming population last year, 17 were outside of the grizzly’s main habitat.