A black bear has been euthanised at Grand Teton National Park after repeated approaches towards visitors created what officials described as an unacceptable safety risk.
Park staff said the decision followed several days of concerning behaviour around Delta Lake, a remote area of the Wyoming wilderness park, where the bear was repeatedly seen approaching people.
When wildlife staff began monitoring it more closely, they found the bear was unusually difficult to haze away. Managers said the behaviour, combined with repeated food rewards and increasing proximity to visitors, was consistent with food conditioning.
“We need to be clear—this bear was lethally removed because of poor decisions made by park visitors,” Grand Teton officials said. “It is everyone’s responsibility to help keep bears wild: Never leave food unattended, even for a moment.”
The bear was euthanised in the Delta Lake area on Friday, September 11, and its carcass was removed from the backcountry the following morning.
Staff had received several reports about a black bear approaching visitors at the lake earlier in the year. At that stage, however, there was not enough information to establish whether the behaviour reflected food conditioning or an isolated series of incidents.
Park managers said relocating the animal was considered but was not judged to be safe or effective in the circumstances.
“Translocation is an important tool, but it isn’t always a safe or effective option,” officials said. “In this case, after considering the bear’s behavior and the circumstances, wildlife managers determined that other options had been exhausted and the bear posed a clear risk to human safety. Lethal removal is always a last resort.”
The park urged visitors who see a bear approaching to seal and pack away any food they are carrying. It warned that an animal rewarded with food may learn that approaching people brings a benefit.
“What may seem like a small decision in the moment can have serious consequences for the bear, other visitors and park staff,” the park said.
