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Yellowstone National Park’s first official grizzly bear sighting of 2021 was recorded Saturday, when a pilot watched the bear compete with wolves for a carcass in the northern part of the park. …
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Yellowstone National Park’s first official grizzly bear sighting of 2021 was recorded Saturday, when a pilot watched the bear compete with wolves for a carcass in the northern part of the park.
Male grizzlies come out of hibernation in early March, according to a park press release; females with cubs emerge from their dens later, in April and early May.
Although Saturday was the first bear sighting, tracks had been seen on several occasions over the prior two weeks. The first bear sighting of 2020 occurred on March 7.
“When bears first emerge from hibernation, they look for carcasses at lower elevations and spring vegetation in thermal meadows and south-facing slopes for nourishment,” said Kerry Gunther, the park’s bear management biologist.
Grizzlies often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter and they can sometimes react aggressively while feeding on carcasses. As a result, the park restricts certain visitor activities in locations where there is a high density of carcasses and lots of bears. Restrictions began in some bear management areas on March 10.
The park offers the following guidelines to protect yourself and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem bears:
• Prepare for a bear encounter.
• Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and make sure it’s accessible.
• Stay alert.
• Hike or ski in groups of three or more, stay on maintained trails, and make noise. Avoid hiking at dusk, dawn, or at night.
• Do not run if you encounter a bear.
• Stay 100 yards away from black and grizzly bears. Use binoculars, a telescope, or telephoto lens to get a closer look.
• Store food, garbage, barbecue grills and other attractants in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof food storage boxes.
• Report bear sightings and encounters to a park ranger immediately.
While firearms are allowed in the park, the discharge of a firearm by visitors is a violation of park regulations. Bear spray has proven effective in deterring bears defending cubs and food sources, park officials say. The spray can also reduce the number of bears killed by people in self-defense.
