Two grizzly deaths investigated
<p><strong>Two young</strong> grizzly bears were photographed by a remote camera in the area where a dead adult grizzly was found on May 20. (Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks photo)</p>
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking information about two recent grizzly bear deaths — one in the Paola Creek area of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and the other at the Yaak Falls Campground.
The first grizzly was a female found near Paola Creek. Willdife officials determined it had been shot.
Ryan Moehring, a spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said a black-bear hunter reported the first grizzly carcass to the state wildlife agency on May 20 after he spotted a pair of grizzly cubs in a tree.
“He let them know they were up in the tree and the mama was probably nearby,” Moehring said. “I think he was concerned there might be an elk carcass nearby and wanted to let them know there were grizzly in the area.”
The cubs were about 15 months old, according to Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
A state bear biologist responded to the sighting and found the grizzly carcass.
Moehring declined to say how long the grizzly appeared to have been dead, but noted that wildlife experts from the two agencies determined the bears were old enough that they likely will survive without their mother.
“Together they determined, based on the health and age of the yearlings, they would be just fine on their own,” Moehring said. “When we determine they’re not fit to survive on their own, we have to capture them and often they’ll end up in zoos or on preserves.”
The adult grizzly’s carcass was taken to a state lab in Bozeman, where experts determined the bear had been shot.
The area the bear was found is within the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem recovery area for the federally listed threatened species.
Last year four grizzly bears were illegally killed out of an estimated 37 total mortalities in the recovery zone, according to state statistics. An additional two grizzlies died after being orphaned.
The two agencies are asking for anyone with information related to the case to call 1-800-TIPMONT. Callers do not have to identify themselves and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to a conviction.
The second grizzly death at Yaak Falls Campground in far Northwest Montana was reported to Fish, Wildlife and Parks on Sunday.
A press release from the wildlife agency stated the bear was a male but no other details were announced.
The campground is 16 miles from Troy on the Yaak River Road.
Reporter Samuel Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com