A 4-year-old female bear started aggressively searching for food in a Montana national park, so it was killed, rangers said.<\/p>\n
The bear was euthanized June 5 in West Glacier in Glacier National Park, the National Park Service said in a news release obtained by McClatchy News.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bear consistently attempted to enter vehicles and buildings on private property inside the park,\u201d park officials said in the release.<\/p>\n
It successfully got into one building and one vehicle, officials said.<\/p>\n
The same bear was captured in 2022 in Kalispell by wildlife officers and relocated to Puzzle Creek, officials said.<\/p>\n
But it didn\u2019t show signs of being food-conditioned until this June, so it was killed, officials said.<\/p>\n
Park officials said another bear and her cub got a \u201cfood reward from an unattended backpack\u201d June 7 in the park.<\/p>\n
The Going-to-the Sun Road, which is used by hikers and bikers, was then closed off.<\/p>\n
\u201cWildlife rangers are attempting to discourage the bears bad behavior. If unsuccessful, the bears may have to be relocated or euthanized per the parks Bear Management Guidelines,\u201d officials said.<\/p>\n
Park officials said a bear can become food-conditioned when it gets a \u201chuman food reward,\u201d which include food, trash, livestock feed and pet food.<\/p>\n
It can then become more aggressive and bold as it tries to find a human food source. It will need to be killed as hazing the animal will no longer work, park officials said.<\/p>\n
Glacier National Park visitors can do their part in stopping bears from becoming food-conditioned and comfortable around people, officials said, by:<\/p>\n
The national park is in northwestern Montana.<\/p>\n