Biologists with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team will conduct research operations in Yellowstone National Park from Sept. 11 through Oct. 31, as part of the ongoing monitoring of the activities and population of grizzly bears within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Team members will bait, trap and anesthetize bears at several remote sites in the park. They will radio-collar the animals and collect scientific samples for study.
None of the trap sites will be located near established hiking trails or backcountry campsites, and all sites will have posted warnings for the closure perimeter. Potential access points will also be posted with warning signs.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team was established in 1973 to collaboratively monitor and manage ecosystem bears on an interagency basis. The gathering of critical data on the protected bears is part of a long-term research effort required under the Endangered Species Act to help wildlife managers devise and implement programs to support the ongoing recovery of Yellowstone’s grizzly bear population. All trapping and handling are done in accordance with the group’s long established protocols.
The IGBST is composed of representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey, 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.
