Grizzly bear on picnic table in Many Glacier Campground, Glacier National Park/NPS HO
A grizzly bear that entered the Many Glacier Campground at Glacier National Park and snatched some trout away from campers has prompted a temporary ban on tents and soft-sided campers in the campground.
The bear, estimated to weigh about 150 pounds, roamed into the campground Friday morning and approached a picnic table where two campers were cleaning two brook trout they had caught.
"One of the campers sprayed the bear with bear spray from a distance of 15 feet. The spray was unsuccessful in deterring the bear’s approach, and it proceeded to climb on top of the picnic table and consume the fish. It also sniffed, pawed, and bit two nearby backpacks," park spokeswoman Lauren Alley said in a release. "Park rangers responded and used hazing techniques to encourage the bear to move out of the campground. Prior to its departure, it dug into two fire pits, sniffed picnic tables, a tent, and an RV with visitors inside."
Rangers were going to try to trap the grizzly bear for further management action.
"The bear exhibits numerous signs of food-conditioning and meets the definition of a conditioned bear in Glacier National Park’s Bear Management Guidelines," said Ms. Alley. "A non-conditioned bear would typically not enter a campsite with people present and resist human attempts to scare it away. Conditioned bears are usually removed from the population by being placed in zoos or euthanized.
"Once bears have successfully obtained unnatural food from people or become accustomed to foraging in developed areas, it is very difficult to change their behavior to return to wild areas and natural food sources," she added. "Once they have received a human food reward, they often become a safety hazard as they become increasingly aggressive seeking out and obtaining subsequent food rewards. In 1976, a conditioned grizzly bear dragged a camper from her tent in the Many Glacier Campground and killed her."
The current ban against tents and soft-sided campers in the campground does not include camper vehicles such as VW buses and pickup trucks with small canvas pop-ups as long as the canvas is not exposed.
Glacier National Park has a proactive bear management program that seeks to prevent conditioning through public education, bear-wise waste management, aggressive enforcement of food storage regulations, and application of hazing and aversive conditioning techniques to teach bears to avoid humans and developed areas.
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Comments
Is he ban on tents for all camp grounds in the park? Are the places to camp outside the park. We are ten camping there lae august.
I think this bear's overall behavior needs to be considered. It sounds to me that this bear was casually roaming through the area and was attracted by some irresistible smells. How aggressive was its approach? Just because it resisted the near spray doesn't necessarily mean it was aggressive. On the other hand, it's curiosity against the backpacks and while on its way out of the area might prove to be it's downfall. I would wait to see if it remains in the area. If it's not conditioned, then. I suspect it's already moved on.
Where's the best place to clean the fish? Especially if it's the backcountry? Looking for advice.
Reading comprehension isnt one of your stronger skills is it.. ""Once bears have successfully obtained unnatural food from people or become accustomed to foraging in developed areas, it is very difficult to change their behavior to return to wild areas and natural food sources," Let that sink in....