Three cattle-killing grizzlies removed

by Cat Urbigkit

It was a busy week last week for wildlife personnel responding to grizzly bears killing cattle in the Upper Green River region.

According to Wyoming Game and Fish Department bear management officer Brian DeBolt, on Thursday, June 30, an adult male grizzly was captured and euthanized. This bear was on private property in the Upper Green and had killed one calf per night for three nights in a row. This bear had a prior history of livestock depredations in the Cody area and was relocated from Cody and released on Togwotee Pass last year. The bear made its way to the Upper Green to continue its cattle depredations, so was destroyed.

The next day, Friday, July 1, another adult male grizzly was captured at a separate location on another calf kill on a Bridger-Teton National Forest grazing allotment. This seven-year-old male was relocated to the Cody area although it was known to have killed livestock in the past. DeBolt explained that the bear wasn't killed because "based on all the circumstances," wildlife officials aren't sure if the bear was responsible for the kill or was simply scavenging on a carcass left by another bear. DeBolt said the evidence at the scene didn't add up to this bear being the responsible party.

On Sunday, July 3, a female grizzly bear was captured in yet a different location than the other bears. The sow was also on the Bridger-Teton National Forest and was captured after killing a yearling steer. This seven-year old female bear was also relocated to the Cody area because the livestock depredation was her first offense. DeBolt said the bear was in a poor condition.

DeBolt said Tuesday afternoon that there have been no further conflicts reported since Sunday's events.

Cattle have entered national forest grazing allotments in the Upper Green ,and domestic sheep flocks are set to enter allotments in the area by the end of this week as well. In addition to grizzly bears, the area is known to harbor a pack of wolves. Mike Jimenez of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that there are three or four adults in the pack in addition to three or four pups born this spring.