Park's bear monitoring and capturing begins

Visitors are urged to be alert and bear aware in Glacier National Park as bear monitoring gets underway with bait stations and traps. Trapping efforts will continue through October at various locations throughout the park.

The Park participates in a yearly interagency effort to monitor grizzly bear populations in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. Of the estimated 300 grizzly bears living in the Park, about 10 females are radio-marked for monitoring.

In the Park, brightly colored warning signs identify bait stations and trap sites. Visitors are required to heed these signs and not enter closed areas. In 2010, a man was killed by a grizzly bear seven miles east of Yellowstone National Park after wandering into a capture site.

To avoid surprise bear encounters, visitors should travel in groups and make loud noises by calling out or clapping their hands at frequent intervals, especially near streams and at blind spots on trails.

Do not approach any wildlife and maintain a minimum distance of 100 yards from any bear.

Anyone participating in recreational activities in bear country is highly encouraged to have bear spray readily accessible and know how to use it.

Visitors should store food and other attractants in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof food storage boxes. Garbage must be deposited into a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.

Report any signs of bear activity to the nearest visitor center or ranger station, or call 888-7800.

Before exploring park trails, tell someone where you’re going and how long you expect to be gone. Carry a map of the area, a compass, a flashlight, extra food, extra clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen, a pocketknife, matches in a waterproof container, a candle or other fire starter, and a first aid kit.

Be prepared for sudden weather events.