Food-conditioned griz euthanized

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks captured a male grizzly bear south of Eureka near Trego and euthanized the animal because it was food-conditioned and habituated to people.

Wildlife personnel captured the bear Wednesday and euthanized it Thursday. The bear was estimated to be 4 years old and weighed 273 pounds.

The grizzly was approaching residences and walking through properties without any hesitation around people. Attempts to haze the animal with cracker shells were unsuccessful. The bear tried multiple times to enter a shed that contained bio-fuel and broke a window on one occasion. It also destroyed an unsecured container of the attractant in another instance.

The bear was euthanized at a local veterinary clinic and underwent an X-ray exam. The X-rays revealed it had been shot with bird shot in the rear and side. More than 50 pellets were discovered inside the bear. Under federal law, it’s illegal to shoot grizzly bears, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in Northwest Montana. An animal shot with bird shot can be seriously injured and is at a heighted risk of infection and blindness.

The bear did not have any prior conflicts. It was originally caught June 18 on a ranch near Fortine as part of Fish Wildlife and Park’s trend monitoring project.

Due to the bear’s habituation, FWP made the decision to euthanize it in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and in accordance with Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee guidelines.

Wildlife officials said the incident demonstrates that wild animals may become habituated to people, posing a serious risk to public safety. When responding to a conflict involving bears, FWP said it follows guidelines that inform an appropriate action. These factors include the potential human safety threats, the intensity of the conflict and the bear’s behavior. Putting down an adult bear is always a last resort, officials stated.

Residents are asked to remove or secure food attractants such as garbage and bird feeders and bird seed. Chickens and livestock should be properly secured with electric fencing or inside a closed shed with a door. Recreationists are urged to “Be Bear Aware” and follow precautionary steps and tips to prevent conflicts.