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Grizzly linked to fatal Yellowstone attacks being sent to Bozeman for autopsy

Posted: Oct 5, 2011 8:30 AM by Adam Bell
Updated: Oct 5, 2011 8:58 AM


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The grizzly sow euthanized in connection with two fatal attacks in Yellowstone National Park will soon be headed to Bozeman for an autopsy.

Public Affairs Officer for the park, Al Nash, told us that the bear was euthanized in Mammoth Sunday morning. The bear was released after the first attack that killed Brian Matayoshi on July 6.

The investigation found the sow acted in defense of her two cubs, and the park did not capture, collar or tag the bear. However, they were able to monitor her through the air thanks to one of her cubs which has a unique lighter colored patch of fur.

The bear was captured last week and euthanized after officials found DNA evidence linking the sow to the second scene, where hiker John Wallace's body was recovered Aug. 26.

The two male cubs of the grizzly sow have been relocated to the West Yellowstone Grizzly Discovery Center. The news Station's Adam Bell joins us with what the future holds for these cubs.

The grizzly cubs will remain at the Grizzly Wolf Discovery Center for the remainder of their lives. That's what director for the center John Heine said Tuesday. Heine also tells us that the cubs were moved to West Yellowstone last Friday.

"Well, I got a call last week from Kerry Gunther, the park biologist, and he asked if we had room and would be interested in a couple bears of a year. It's the same process with all the bears depending on their history, their age and whether they have another bear with them or not," Heine said.

The two cubs are currently being held in a den where the public and cameras are not allowed, however Heine said that they hope to be able to move the cubs to the same area as where these bears are currently located within a month. This habitat spans two acres and allows for a very similar experience to being in the wild.

"We have live fish in the ponds, we have rodents they can hunt for, the keepers do a great job with enriching the habitats so that those bears are actively doing bear things all the time, searching for food, flipping over rocks digging into log piles, searching for all kinds of food and novel opportunities we'll put out there for them," Heine said.

When asked about how these bears will adapt to captivity, Heine says he personally has worked with four sets of cubs and that these cubs are no different than any other cubs that have been brought to the center.

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