Bear That Killed Domestic Lambs Removed

A 350 pound grizzly was captured by USDA Wildlife Service crews on August 1, after it killed two domestic lambs near Fletcher Pass southeast of Lincoln.

Although the bear was involved in livestock depredation and posed a possible threat to humans, authorities decided to remove the bear to a new location rather than euthanize it.

Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks staff have since relocated the bear into a remote area of the Flathead National Forest. Because grizzly bears are a federally protected species the decision on what to do with the bear was ultimately left up to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rather than Montana's statewide branch.

FWP spokesperson Vivica Crowser explains how bear decisions are managed on the state and federal levels:

The bear was collared and according to FWP Bear Management Specialist Jamie Jonkel, the incident with the lambs was the bear's first offense with livestock. The goal of the relocation is to give the bear a chance to shift its attention away from livestock and onto more natural food sources.