Bear euthanized near Libby had family history of conflicts, officials say

The mother of the grizzly bear euthanized south of Libby last week had a history of conflicts in the Ferndale area, authorities say.

The 2-year-old male grizzly bear was captured by Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials on Sept. 15 following reports of break-ins at chicken coops, greenhouses and storage sheds near Barren Peak Road off U.S. 2 in the Silver Butte area. 

The bear, who along with his siblings, was first relocated to the South Fork by state officials this spring because its mom had a history of conflicts in the Ferndale area. The bear traveled to the area north of Marion between April and July 2024 and eventually made its way to the Silver Butte area. *

“He was never relocated to the Libby area, he moved naturally,” said Dillon Tabish, regional communication and education program manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in an email. 

Food conditioned bears pose a safety risk to humans, as they will pursue food around inhabited areas over natural food sources. Upon the bear’s arrival in the Libby area, he fed on chickens, chicken feed, fruit, vegetables and grain, according to the state wildlife agency.  

Officials were unable to put an estimate on the loss to area residents. 

The bear was collared, which meant that officials received GPS data on the animal about every 48 hours. As it avoided people and culverts, authorities relied on radio telemetry to triangulate its approximate location. 

The first conflict call involving the bear came in on Aug. 20, officials said.  

There are multiple ways to reduce the risk of bear conflicts, including electric fencing and securing attractants such as livestock food, grills and bird feeders, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Officials urged residents to report all conflicts to the state wildlife agency. Wildlife management specialist numbers can be found at https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear/contact.

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459. 

*This paragraph was edited to accurately describe the bear's history.