BOZEMAN — Game wardens and wildlife staff with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized 14 black bears near Bozeman last week after investigators determined someone was illegally feeding the animals at a home north of the city.
Game wardens visited the property on Sept. 24 and Sept. 25. They found the bears had become extremely accustomed to eating human food and were completely unafraid of people — behavior officials say created a major safety risk for the surrounding community.
The bears had stopped relying on natural food sources and lost the desire and ability to find food in healthy ways. Wildlife experts say that kind of conditioning cannot be corrected through rehabilitation or by relocating the animals to a new area.
Officials say putting the animals down is always an unfortunate last resort, taken only when there are threats to human safety and property.
“These bears were unafraid of humans and stopped relying on natural foods, which created a human safety risk. It’s very unfortunate they had to be euthanized,” said game warden Captain Josh Leonard. “An investigation into why the bears were on this property is ongoing.”
Wardens rescued one bear cub from the property. That cub is now at a wildlife facility in Helena, and officials hope to place it in an accredited zoo. They note that zoo placement is a very limited option and is not always possible.
An investigation into why the bears were on the property remains open. State law strictly bans providing supplemental feed to game animals.
Officials are reminding residents that Montana is bear country and urging everyone to keep garbage and pet food secured at all times. Bird feeders and other attractants must also be secured. Authorities recommend using bear-resistant trash cans and electric fencing.
The state offers educational programs and hands-on training for using bear spray.
FWP and other organizations work extensively to provide educational programs and resources to prevent conflicts between people and bears. This includes demonstrating how to use bear-resistant garbage cans, electric fencing and other tools to secure attractants. FWP also provides hands-on training for using bear spray. Educational information, resources and events on bear safety can be found on FWP’s website [links-2.govdelivery.com].
Anyone who sees a bear attempting to access trash near a home or business should call wildlife officials immediately. Reporting the problem early can help experts address the issue before a bear becomes too conditioned to human food. When these incidents go unreported, it creates risks that may require bears to be killed.
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