As bear activity picks up, wildlife personnel recently had to relocate a grizzly bear from south of Eureka into Glacier National Park.
According to Erik Wenum, a bear and lion specialist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, a 6-year-old 340-pound male grizzly bear was captured on April 6 south of Eureka after killing a calf earlier in the week. USDA Wildlife Services personnel assisted in capturing the grizzly.
The bear had been previously captured in British Columbia during research trapping efforts in the fall of 2011 and was fitted with ear-tags and released.
The bear was examined and radio-collared, and the next day the grizzly was released in Glacier Park in an area seasonally closed for snow and road conditions. There are no known previous management situations involving this bear.
Wenum says four black bears were captured in the last week in the Columbia Falls and Whitefish areas. This level of activity indicates that while many bears may still be denned or close to their dens some have dropped to lower elevations in search of foods, according to FWP.
As temperatures rise and snow melt begins more bears are emerging and dropping to the valley floor. Residents are encouraged to secure any attractants that may have been out during the winter, especially trash, birdfeeders, pet and livestock feeds.