Grizzly bear dies on Sun Road

 A grizzly bear apparently died Thursday in a fall from a snowbank onto Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

The dead bear was discovered along Going-to-the-Sun Road on Thursday morning, according to a news release from Glacier National Park. 

An initial investigation by Glacier Park rangers indicated the bear probably fell onto the road from a steep snowbank between 9 and 10 a.m.

At approximately 10 a.m. Thursday, a member of the park road crew was traveling down Going-to-the-Sun Road when he came upon the bear’s body on the road about one mile above The Loop.

Park snowplow crew members had traveled up the road at 9 a.m. Thursday and saw no bear then.

A necropsy conducted by wildlife biologists determined the bear died from a fall. The 190-pound male bear had head injuries, broken ribs and other internal injuries. 

There was no evidence of any struggle or fight prior to the fall or any indication of a vehicle collision. The terrain above the spot the bear was found includes a steep snowbank, some steep cliffs and a drop of approximately 12 feet.

Park officials notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks since the grizzly bear is listed as an endangered species. 

The bear was about five years old. It had no markings to signify any prior capture.

There are an estimated 300 grizzly bears in Glacier National Park.