Hunter asked before killing the ‘black bear’ in Idaho. Officials said they did not know. – East Idaho News

ST. MARIES (Idaho Statesman) – Wildlife officials say they mistook a protected grizzly bear for a black bear before an Idaho hunter killed it.

A concerned hunter sent video to Idaho Game and Fish of a young bear at a bait station June 8 in the Panhandle region, the wildlife agency said in a June 18 news release. .

The corner was on US Forest Service land, about 5 miles from St. Maries, officials said.

He was worried that the animal was mischievous, so he asked the wildlife staff to identify it before shooting it, the officials said.

The animal has been listed as a threatened species by the US Fish and Wildlife Service since 1975 in the lower 48 states, and it is illegal to “harm, disturb or kill these bears, except in cases of self-defense or the defense of others.”

However, state officials are pushing to remove the animal from federal protection in Idaho.

Wildlife officials reviewed the video and determined the animal was a black bear “because it did not have the typical characteristics of a grizzly,” officials said.

It was also in an area where grizzly bears are rarely found, officials said. The hunter killed the bear cub two days later, then identified it as a grizzly, officials said.

He contacted the wildlife agency, is cooperating with the investigation and will not be named, officials said.

Meanwhile, Fish and Game is “reviewing the staff’s role in the incident as an employee.”

“Fish and Game regrets the mistake made by its staff, who should not have been concerned about the situation that led to the hunting and loss of the grizzly bear,” the department said.

The agency also reminds hunters that a young grizzly can wander into an area where it is not expected to be found.

WHAT IS BROTHERHOOD?

Conservation groups do not condone the use of bear bait in grizzly habitat.

Bait is something used to attract large animals. Authorized hunters are the only ones legally allowed to buy black bears in Idaho, according to wildlife officials. But this is a problem when a young grizzly bear wanders into an area that is not normally seen and is attracted to bait.

Several environmental groups, including the Western Watersheds Project, appealed a decision to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that the bait does not harm grizzlies in Idaho and Wyoming.

The groups argued for more legislation but lost the appeal.

“These are exactly the types of grizzly bear killings that we hope to avoid through our petition for federal agencies to consider whether bear baiting should be allowed in grizzly bear habitat,” said the Chief. Chief of Western Watersheds Project Erik Molvar in a press release of June 20. .

“The IDFG wants to see grizzly bears exterminated and says they can control the species. How can they control grizzly bears if they don’t know one? said Lizzy Pennock, a lawyer at WildEarth Guardians.

What is the difference between a black bear and a grizzly?

Meanwhile, officials are warning other hunters to reevaluate their bear identification skills.

A grizzly bear can be identified by its short ears, round shoulders, long claws and concave face, wildlife officials said.

The black bear has long ears, a straight face, no shoulder and short claws.

The size and color of a bear are not reliable ways to tell the difference between two, wildlife officials say.

Bears vary in size at different ages and in different body conditions, making it difficult to identify a bear based on its size, officials said.

Both bears are also different in color. A black bear can be brown, cinnamon or black while a grizzly bear is almost black in color.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE A URUS

Bear attacks in the United States are rare, according to the National Park Service. In many attacks, bears are still trying to protect their food, children or space.

There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming an emergency.

• Introduce yourself: Speak quietly and wave your hands gently. This can help the bear see that you are human and non-threatening.
• Stay calm: Bears are generally reluctant to attack; they want to be left alone. Speak softly and softly to the bear.
• Don’t yell: Yelling can provoke an attack.
• Lift small children: Do not let children run away from the bear. They may be considered small prey.
• Overcrowding in areas: It’s a noisy and smelly area, the National Park Service says. Bears like to stay away from groups of people.
• Look big: Go to high places and stand tall. Do not make sudden moves.
• Don’t leave your pack: A pack on your back can prevent a bear from getting food, and can prevent it.
• Walk away slowly: Step aside to appear less threatening to the bear. You can also monitor.
• Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like dogs.
• Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can climb too.