Black bear killed in Yellowstone after learning how to obtain human food
A food-conditioned black bear was killed at Yellowstone National Park after a series of concerning incidents "posed a clear threat to visitor safety," officials said.
The bear was lethally removed on July 11 at approximately 5 p.m. by Yellowstone National Park staff following "a series of concerning incidents at a backcountry campsite located in the Blacktail Deer Creek drainage in the northern part of the park," according to a statement from the National Park Service on Thursday.
The animal became the first black bear in five years to be killed in a management action situation in Yellowstone, with the last case coming in July 2020 when a black bear injured campers and accessed human food at a backcountry campsite in the park, officials said.
"On June 7, the bear crushed an unoccupied tent at the campsite. A few weeks later, on July 11, the bear climbed the site's food storage pole, tore down properly stored food bags, and consumed the campers' food," the National Park Service said.
"Although it is uncommon for bears in Yellowstone to obtain human food, when it does occur, bears can quickly become food-conditioned and may act aggressively or dangerously around humans, putting both people and wildlife at risk. The bear's escalating behavior -- including property damage and obtaining a significant food reward -- posed a clear threat to visitor safety and warranted removal," officials continued.
The decision to kill the bear was based on ongoing concern for human safety, property damage to camping equipment and the bear learning to defeat the park's backcountry food storage poles to obtain human food, according to NPS.
"We go to great lengths to protect bears and prevent them from gaining access to human food in all areas of the park," said Kerry Gunther, Yellowstone bear management biologist. "But occasionally, a bear outsmarts us or overcomes our defenses. When that happens, we sometimes have to make the difficult decision to remove the bear from the population to protect people and property."
Due to bear management practices and regulations at the park, each of Yellowstone's 293 backcountry campsites is equipped with either a food storage pole or a bear-resistant storage box, officials said.
"Park guidelines require backcountry campers to hang food from the pole or secure it in the box at all times except when cooking or eating," NPS said. "Yellowstone reminds all visitors that utilizing these bear safety measures remain crucial in ensuring public safety and preventing wildlife from developing dangerous habits."
