Yellowstone National Park has euthanized two bears this summer after they became habituated to human food. This marks the first time in five years that park officials have had to take such action. In May, a grizzly bear was put down after it repeatedly flipped dumpsters cemented to the ground near the Old Faithful geyser. The bear had learned to crack open bear-resistant trash cans, posing a significant risk to visitor safety.
In early July, park staff euthanized a black bear that had become adept at climbing food storage poles to access campers’ food. The bear’s behavior escalated after it crushed an unoccupied tent and later retrieved food bags from a pole at a backcountry campsite in the Blacktail Deer Creek area. According to a Yellowstone news release, the decision was made due to ongoing concerns for human safety and property damage.
Evan Stout, a local bear awareness expert, noted that while the grizzly’s actions were unusual, the black bear had likely become aggressive after tasting human food. “Getting a taste of human food can be a death sentence for bears,” Stout said, emphasizing the importance of keeping food away from wildlife. Kerry Gunther, Yellowstone’s bear management biologist, stated, “We go to great lengths to protect bears and prevent them from gaining access to human food.” However, when bears overcome these defenses, officials sometimes have to make the difficult decision to remove them.
The park has seen record visitation numbers, with over 566,000 visitors in May alone, which may contribute to increased human-bear interactions. Park officials continue to stress the importance of proper food storage and maintaining a safe distance from wildlife to protect both visitors and bears.
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