‘Poor decisions’: Visitors’ food handouts lead to death of Grand Teton black bear

MOOSE, Wyo. (WISH) — Grand Teton National Park staff euthanized a black bear last week near Delta Lake after a series of dangerous encounters between the animal and park visitors, the park announced Tuesday.

According to a social media post, earlier this year, park rangers received several reports of a black bear approaching hikers. At the time, officials did not have enough information to determine if the behavior was a one-time thing or the start of a dangerous habit.

That changed last week.

The bear repeatedly approached people and ate human food left behind by visitors. Park staff monitored the area and found the bear unusually difficult to scare off.

Experts said the bear’s behavior showed it had become used to finding food near humans. As of Wednesday, the park said it is monitoring three black bears that have received food rewards in the area.

Park managers decided the bear’s lack of fear and its proximity to hikers created a serious safety risk. Because Delta Lake is in a remote area of the park, wildlife staff tranquilized the bear and killed it on-site. A helicopter crew flew the carcass out of the backcountry the following morning.

“We need to be clear—this bear was lethally removed because of poor decisions made by park visitors,” park officials said in a statement. “It is everyone’s responsibility to help keep bears wild: Never leave food unattended, even for a moment.”

Officials urged hikers to gather all belongings, especially food, if a bear approaches. “If you have time to grab your phone, you have time to grab your food,” the statement continued.

Park rangers noted that a bear that gets a “food reward” learns that approaching people pays off. A small decision to leave a backpack or snack behind can lead to the death of a bear or injuries to visitors.

Pre-hibernation hunt

The park says bears are on a mission to find a large amount of food before they hibernate for the winter, and that they are searching even harder due to this year’s poor berry crop.

Which means, your unattended bag of snacks could be worth investigating, even if it’s set down for a short period of time.

“It starts innocently. You set your pack down and step a short distance away to take in the view. You’re still nearby, but your back is turned. A bear following its nose may be tempted by the faint smells emanating from your pack,” the park said in a statement.

“Your choices matter. A single food reward can change a bear’s behavior, and those changes can have deadly consequences.”

Help keep bears wild and other people safe

1. Never leave packs, food, or coolers unattended.
2. Store food and garbage in bear-resistant containers.
3. Keep a clean camp and follow food storage rules.
4. Carry bear spray and keep it readily accessible.
5. Stay at least 100 yards from bears.

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