Grizzlies: Mysterious Deaths and Behaviors

“…there are occasions where bears don’t behave like other bears.”-Brad Hovinga, Wyoming Game and Fish Department

“…grizzly bears can be more aggressive than black bears when it comes to protecting their young and food sources.”–Johnny Mikes, Coast to Cascades Grizzly Bear Initiative

24SEP2018 (13:39 UTC-07 Tango 06) 02 Mehr 1397/13 Muharram 1440/15 Xin-You (8th month) 4716

The most aggressive version of the Brown Bear, the North American Grizzly, has been behaving even more aggressively than normal and even mysteriously dying. The strange deaths might be a reason why a U.S. federal judge has repeatedly delayed the promised grizzly bear hunting in the United States (the official reason is to consider putting them back on the endangered list).

The most recent grizzly attack took place this month in the U.S. state of Wyoming, it is unusual in that it involved two grizzly bears working together to attack an experienced hunting guide and his client. The guide was killed and an investigation showed he was attacked by both the bears. The client survived and said they were on horseback attempting to retrieve an elk they shot with an arrow. As they approached the elk they were attacked by both bears, the client was dragged off his horse. The guide got the attention of the bears away from his client by yelling at them, however they then attacked and killed the guide (beside being armed with a bow and arrows, they were armed with a pistol which proved useless). The client was able to escape on horseback.

It should be noted that the hunting guide’s family posted a gofundme which states he was attacked by a bear, singular, but investigators confirmed he was attacked by a sow and a yearling, two bears. Wyoming Fish & Game say they were able to find and kill the two bears.

There’s been increased documented cases of deaths of grizzlies, both in the United States and Canada. In the past year or so most of those deaths are attributed to humans killing them, either through illegal shooting (poaching), mistaken shooting (hunters mistaking them for black bears), or by being run-over by road vehicles or trains. The latest grizzly death data out of the U.S. Yellowstone National Park area shows at least 33 bears found dead from undetermined causes (so far). Believe it or not, the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team labeled some of the dead grizzlies as “probable” deaths (if your dead your dead, unless you’re undead, bear zombies?)! The official Yellowstone grizzly death count has yet to be made public: “The season where everything is usually determined in terms of grizzly bear mortality is still coming up. Basically, the deciding weeks will be in late September or early October. It really depends on how we fare through those weeks.”-Frank van Manen, federal government researcher

Here’s a few news articles about the strange behaviors and deaths of Grizzlies:

Second Canadian grizzly bear cub found illegally shot in Alberta

Strange behavior of humans as Canadian hunter gets death threats for legally shooting an adult Grizzly

Video captures Alberta man and his dog’s close encounter with Canadian grizzly

One of three black bear cubs likely eaten by Canadian grizzly bear

Residents of Aklavik count ten Canadian grizzly bears now living in town

Canadian grizzly bear spotted far from the animals’ usual mainland territory

Yellowstone-Area Grizzlies Suspected In Seven Deaths Since 2010

Minnesotan man mauled by grizzly bear while hiking in Wyoming

2018 Yellowstone area Grizzly Bear Deaths at Record-Breaking Pace (despite the temporary hunting ban)

Montana Grizzly bear killed after getting into turkey feed

Montana grizzly illegally shot and killed