US Edition
Yellowstone Forced to Euthanize 400-Pound Grizzly that Repeatedly Sought Out Human Food
- On May 14, 2025, Yellowstone National Park personnel captured and put down an 11-year-old male grizzly bear at Mammoth Hot Springs after it repeatedly accessed human food in park areas.
- The bear accessed human food by flipping heavy bear-proof dumpsters weighing around 800 pounds and pulling smaller trash bins from their mounts at popular spots including Old Faithful, the picnic area named after the Nez Perce tribe, and the parking area near Midway Geyser Basin.
- The bear weighed approximately 400 pounds, became increasingly conditioned to human food, and posed a significant public safety risk in one of the park's busiest areas.
- Kerry Gunther, Yellowstone’s bear management biologist, expressed regret that the bear repeatedly accessed garbage and managed to overcome the park’s bear-resistant measures.
- Officials euthanized the bear to protect visitors and prevent other bears from developing food-conditioned behavior, marking the first grizzly removal since 2017 in accordance with Yellowstone's bear management plan.
47 Articles
47 Articles
400 lb. Grizzly Bear Killed in Yellowstone After Turning Over Dumpsters and Seeking Out Food
The 11-year-old bear "repeatedly sought out human food" and knocked over 800-pound "bear-resistant" dumpsters, the National Park Service saidJonathan Newton/Getty A female grizzly bear with her two cubs in Yellowstone National Park in June 2024.A 400-pound grizzly bear was euthanized by Yellowstone National Park staff after it overturned dumpsters and searched for food in populated areas of the parkThe 11-year-old male grizzly bear was trapped a…
Standard Journal
Food-Conditioned Grizzly Bear Trapped and Killed in Yellowstone National Park
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – Yellowstone National Park staff trapped and killed an 11-year-old male grizzly bear on May 14 after the bear repeatedly sought out human food sources in developed areas of the park. Between April 3 and May…
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Idaho PressFood-habituated grizzly bear killed is first in eight years in Yellowstone National Park
The decision to kill the bear was made to ensure public safety and reduce the chances of other bears becoming habituated to human food, park officials said.
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