Black Bear Cubs from Butte Relocated to Zoo After Human Interaction Concerns

The mother of the two cubs was put down by officials due to her poor condition from foraging trash.Photo byStock Image

By Kristy Tallman, October 16, 2024

HELENA, MT – Two black bear cubs captured on the Montana Tech campus in Butte have been permanently relocated to a zoo after spending time at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Wildlife Center in Helena. This decision follows the euthanization of their mother, which sparked mixed reactions in the community.

The bears were first spotted foraging through garbage in Butte’s westside neighborhood on August 27, 2024. Despite efforts to tranquilize the adult bear, the mother was euthanized the next day on the Montana Tech campus, as her food-conditioned behavior posed a significant safety risk. Her cubs, who were initially found up a tree, were fenced in by FWP officials and eventually captured using baited traps.

"It’s sad the mama’s gone, but hopefully they can get the babies protected,” said Montana Tech student Nadia Crawford.

The cubs were transported to the Wildlife Center for temporary care, where it was determined they were not suitable for release into the wild due to their lack of fear of humans and the evidence of garbage in their diet. The cubs have since been moved to a zoo for permanent placement.

The decision to euthanize the mother bear upset some local residents. "It just really sucks. I didn’t hear that she was actually bothering anybody, so I kind of feel they should have waited a little bit before they killed her," said Butte resident Topanga Sturdevant.

Wildlife officials emphasize that human-bear conflicts, like the one in Butte, can often be prevented by properly securing garbage and other attractants.

Be Bear Aware: Residents and visitors are encouraged to take precautions to avoid attracting bears, including:

• Storing garbage and food in secure containers.
• Keeping pet food, bird feeders, and other attractants indoors.
• Carrying bear spray while recreating in bear country.
• Never approaching or feeding bears.

"I was sitting in class and I was like, ‘There’s a bear guys,’ and all my friends are looking at me like, ‘It’s a mama with cubs!’" recalled student Skyler Fox.

The incident at Montana Tech also served as a reminder of the growing bear populations in Montana, with black and grizzly bears becoming more prevalent across the state. For more information on bear safety, click here.

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By Kristy Tallman, October 16, 2024
The Republic News

Source: Montana Fish & Wildlife

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