Biologists have begun grizzly bear trapping

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service and tribal wildlife managers have begun trapping bears in Northwest Montana.

The trapping is part of a population monitoring study of grizzly bears that involves seasonal scientific capture operations in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.

The study of grizzly bear distribution and population trends is vital to ongoing recovery of grizzlies, according to FWP officials.

Biologists will work in the Blackfoot Valley, along the Rocky Mountain Front, in the Swan and Clearwater river valleys, within Glacier National Park, and in the North and Middle forks of the Flathead River from May through the end of October.

The traps also will be set periodically on private and public lands where bear/human conflicts are occurring. Warning signs will be posted along major access points to the trapping site, and it’s important that people heed these signs.

Trapping sites will be baited with natural food sources. Snares or culvert traps will be used to capture the bears. Once captured, the bears will be sedated, studied and released.

For more information, call FWP at 752-5501, Glacier Park at 888-7800, the Blackfeet Indian Tribe at 406-338-7207 or the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes at 406-883-2888.