Grizzly bear trapped and relocated in Island Park area

After consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) relocated an adult male grizzly bear on Aug. 13, 2024.

Wildlife Services set a trap for the animal after the death of a domestic calf near Highway 20 and the Buffalo River that was determined to have been killed by a grizzly bear. An 11-year-old male grizzly was captured that evening as it returned to the kill site. The bear was identified as a known individual that had previously been collared for research purposes and had no known history of conflict prior to this incident.

In cooperation with the USFWS and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the grizzly bear was immobilized, given a body condition and health assessment, fitted with a radio collar and relocated to a remote area in the Fish Creek drainage on Forest Service land approximately 12 miles from the City of Island Park.

Grizzly bears are relocated in accordance with state and federal law and regulation, and Fish and Game is required to update the public whenever a grizzly bear is relocated. Fish and Game staff will continue to monitor the bear's movements and activities.

While not always possible, relocation is a management tool that wildlife biologists use to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears. Relocation sites are chosen after considering the age, sex and type of conflict the bear was involved in, as well as the proximity to nearby human activity. Before any relocation occurs, IDFG consults with the appropriate agencies to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the relocated grizzly bear's chance of survival.