Ranchers, agency rescue three grizzly cubs

Three orphaned grizzly bear cubs now have a home, albeit temporary, after some ranchers and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks employees worked together to save them after their mother was euthanized following an encounter with a hiker near Dupuyer.

According to information from Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the trio of cubs, which were still nursing, were seen by a local ranching family.

The cubs were from a sow that was involved in a surprise encounter with a hiker near Dupuyer, north of Choteau on the Rocky Mountain Front, on Wednesday evening, April 8. The sow, which was shot and injured by a hiker, was euthanized by Fish, Wildlife & Parks the following day. At the time, it wasn’t clear how many cubs she had, though it was thought she had at least one.

Then, on Friday evening, the family spotted three cubs in a nearby field. The cubs were huddled up together and playing. The family called the agency to report the cubs. While waiting for staff to arrive, the family grew concerned for the cubs’ safety because of a male grizzly that lives in the area and because of an impending snowstorm.

The ranching family, being adept at roping, were able to gently rope the cubs and keep them in one area. A neighboring rancher offered a barrel in which they placed the cubs.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff arrived and took the bears to the rehabilitation facility at Montana WILD Saturday morning. The wildlife center staff immediately made a specialized formula for the nursing bears.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks is working with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to find permanent placement for the cubs at an accredited Association of Zoos and Aquariums zoo or facility.

Grizzly bear cubs cannot be released back to the wild. These cubs will be frequently handled for bottle feeding and will quickly habituate to humans. This would pose a significant human safety risk and drastically lowers their ultimate success in the wild.

Agency officials are still reminding people though it is still early in the spring, people recreating outdoors in Montana need to be prepared to encounter grizzly bears as they emerge from winter hibernation.

This time of year, bears are hungry and looking for food, and often sows have cubs close at hand. Also, with bears expanding their population and habitat, they can often be found in prairie settings, well away from the mountains.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.