|
Grizzly bear captured and killed near Whitefish
September 15, 2011
editor@montanaliving.com
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks captured and killed a 4-year old male grizzly bear near Haskill Basin Sept. 14 north of Whitefish. Grizzly Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley said that the 370-pound bear had approached residences in the Whitefish area and got into cat food, broke into a chicken coop, and killed chickens.
The bear had been captured last month at Trumbull Creek and relocated near Frozen Lake near the Canadian border. The grizzly was suspected to have broken into camper shells, broke a window in a garage, broke into a chicken coop, got dog food, cat food, and garbage in the same area. The bear returned to the Whitefish/Columbia Falls area 4 days ago.
Based on the level of food conditioning and property damage demonstrated by the grizzly, the decision was made to kill the bear in the interest of human safety.
Manley reminds residents that pet food and garbage first attracted the grizzly to residences. Residents should secure all attractants, pick ripe fruit, and pick up apples from the ground as they fall. Ultimately, attractants resulted in the bear breaking into campers and structures.
In other grizzly news, Manley added that traps are set an adult male grizzly in the Swan Valley that is breaking into garages to get bird seed and grain in the Shay Lake area. A trap is also set in the Coram area for another grizzly that got into garbage in the back of a pickup truck. |
|
