RED LODGE, Mont. — Six black bears have been euthanized in the Red Lodge area this year after repeated conflicts with people, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials say the cases highlight how easily bears can become conditioned to human food often with deadly consequences.
FWP says many of the bears involved had become food-conditioned after gaining access to garbage, pet food and other human food sources. Officials are also investigating reports of possible intentional feeding near Red Lodge, which is illegal in Montana and can quickly create dangerous situations for both people and wildlife.
“We have had some instances this year of bears following people, chasing people because they’re just getting used to thinking of humans as a source of food,” said Chrissy Webb, regional communication and education manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “So it creates really unsafe situations for the public.”
According to FWP, once bears begin associating people with food, they often lose their natural fear of humans and start seeking out trash, pet food and other attractants instead of their normal diet of berries, plants and small animals. Officials say that’s why preventing bears from accessing human food is one of the most important steps people can take to protect both themselves and wildlife.
Webb said people often ask why bears involved in conflicts can’t simply be relocated instead of euthanized. She said heavily food-conditioned bears frequently continue seeking human food wherever they are moved and can travel long distances to return to the same food sources, creating similar conflicts in other communities. Sending bears to zoos is also rarely an option because facilities have limited space and are often only able to accept orphaned cubs.
Instead, FWP says euthanasia is considered only after wildlife managers have exhausted other options. Before reaching that point, staff work with residents and landowners to remove or secure attractants, install electric fencing when appropriate and use hazing techniques designed to discourage bears from returning to human food.
“Euthanizing bears, we go through a lot of steps to try to deal with those bears involved in conflicts before just going right to euthanizing them,” Webb said. “We’ve reached that point for six black bears so far this year, but we’ve taken a lot of steps to try to avoid having to do that.”
The agency has also temporarily closed the Silver Run Wildlife Management Area outside Red Lodge while crews attempt to capture a grizzly bear involved in multiple conflicts. Officials say the closure is necessary to protect public safety while trapping efforts continue because the bear is also believed to be food-conditioned.
While the recent conflicts have been concentrated around Red Lodge, FWP says the message applies anywhere people live or recreate in bear country. Officials encourage residents and campers to secure garbage, pet food, coolers and livestock feed, while remembering that bears can also be attracted to scented items like toothpaste, soap, sunscreen, lotion, deodorant and lip balm. Those items should be stored in a locked vehicle or bear-resistant storage container rather than inside a tent.
FWP is also asking anyone who witnesses intentional wildlife feeding in the Red Lodge area to report it, saying early reports of bear activity give wildlife managers the best chance to change a bear’s behavior before conflicts escalate.
“It’s really important we hear about these conflicts as soon as possible,” Webb said. “That’ll provide us more management options for the bear and hopefully better outcomes for the public and the bear itself.”
Officials say although this year’s number of bear conflicts near Red Lodge has been unusually high, preventing bears from gaining access to human food remains the best way to keep both people and bears safe.
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