Grizzly death still a mystery

By JIM MANN

The Daily Inter Lake

An exact cause of death won't be known for a grizzly bear that died after captured and drugged by researchers in Glacier National Park last month, the park announced Thursday.

The male bear, estimated to be about 17 years old, died May 29 soon after being released in the park's McDonald Creek drainage. The bear had been snared and immobilized with drugs as part of a population trend study being led by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The carcass was taken to a state wildlife laboratory in Bozeman for a necropsy that was unable to determine the exact cause of death. The death, however, officially will be classified as "capture-related," a park press release states.

"Capture mortalities are classified as those that are either caused by adverse reactions to the drug used, or those that are caused by other circumstances surrounding the immobilization of the animal," the release states.

"The specific cause of death could not be determined in this case," said Rick Mace, a state research biologist who is leading the trend study.

Mace added that there is evidence that the bear experienced an adverse reaction to the immobilizing drugs.

"It appears the death was a result of several extenuating circumstances," the press release says. "A preliminary report from the necropsy revealed a high likelihood of cardiac arrest. The bear had high levels of blood in the lungs, was of advanced age, had an infected neck as a result of an older puncture wound and had (paw) trauma as a result of the capture episode."

The paw injury was not considered life-threatening, however.

The incident prompted a suspension of captures, and since then the study's capture protocols have been amended. Specifically, trapping in the park will make use of mobile culvert traps rather than leg snares.

The culvert traps will be fitted with transmitters so captures can be monitored, and the traps will be checked at least twice per day.

The multiyear trend study focuses primarily on births and mortalities in the Northern Continental Divide grizzly bear recovery area by monitoring radio-collared female bears and their cubs. The study is expected to show whether the population is declining or growing.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com