Grizzly Bear Research Captures Set To Begin Within Yellowstone National Park

By

NPT Staff
April 23, 2026

Grizzly in Yellowstone National Park
Grizzly bear pre-baiting and scientific capture operations within Yellowstone National Park will begin May 1 / NPS file.

Grizzly bear pre-baiting and scientific capture operations are once again about to begin within Yellowstone National Park. The captures help biologists monitor grizzly populations and document their recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem under the Endangered Species Act. The operations are led by the U.S. Geological Survey, in conjunction with Yellowstone National Park.

Agency biologists with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) will begin the field captures May 1 and continue through October 15. Capture operations can include a variety of activities, but all areas where work is being conducted will have major access points marked with warning signs. The team says it is critical that all members of the public heed these signs.

Monitoring of the grizzly bear population is key to ongoing research and management of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. To attract bears, biologists use natural food sources such as recently road-killed deer and elk. Potential capture sites are baited with these natural foods and if indications are that grizzly bears are in the area, culvert traps or foot snares are used to capture bears. Once captured, bears are handled according to strict safety and animal care protocols developed by the IGBST and approved by the U.S. Geological Survey.

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