After another grizzly bear relocation from the Flathead Indian Reservation, there’s growing concern that someone is feeding the bears.
Tribal Wildlife Bear Biologists and Tribal Conservation Officers responded to a call last week involving a yearling grizzly bear along Mission Creek near Tribal Health and Human Services in St Ignatius. The female yearling was trapped and relocated in the Jocko area approximately 9 miles from where she was captured reported Stacy Courville, Tribal Bear Biologist.
Courville reports that the encounter is troubling because young grizzly bears stay with their mothers until they are two years old.
“It appears that these bears are becoming habituated to humans and it is likely that someone is feeding bears between St. Ignatius and Post Creek,” Courville said.
It is illegal to feed wildlife, and if anybody observes or has information about someone feeding bears on the Reservation, contact Tribal Conservation Officers at 675-4700.
Grizzly bear sightings may be reported to Tribal Wildlife Management Program