Public reminded to heed warning signs
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
As a part of ongoing efforts to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Yellowstone National Park and the U.S. Geological Survey announced that biologists with the National Park Service and Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team will be conducting scientific grizzly bear research operations in Yellowstone National Park from May 13 through July 31.
Team members
will bait and trap bears at several remote sites within Yellowstone National
Park. Once trapped, the bears are anesthetized to allow wildlife biologists to
radio-collar and collect scientific samples for study. All trapping and
handling are done in accordance with strict protocols developed by the IGBST.
None of the
trap sites in the park will be located near any established hiking trails or
backcountry campsites, and all trap sites will have posted warnings for the
closure perimeter. Potential access points will also be posted with warning
signs for the closure area. Backcountry users who come upon any of these posted
areas need to heed the warnings and stay out of the area.
The IGBST
was established in 1973 to collaboratively monitor and manage ecosystem bears
on an interagency basis. The gathering of critical data on bears is part of a
long-term research and monitoring effort to help wildlife managers devise and
implement programs to support the ongoing conservation of Yellowstone’s grizzly
bear populations.
The IGBST is
composed of representatives of the USGS, the National Park Service, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Eastern Shoshone and
Northern Arapaho Tribal Fish and Game Department, and the states of Idaho,
Montana and Wyoming.
