Game and Fish Busy Relocating Northwest Wyoming Grizzlies

POWELL, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has captured and relocated about two dozen grizzly bears in northwest Wyoming this year.

Game and Fish supervisor Dan Thompson tells the Powell Tribune that this year's grizzly bear relocation cases are up from 2014 when a total of 16 northwest Wyoming grizzlies were relocated. There are an estimated 757 total grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

The bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Ranch owner Buster Tolman, of Clark, says he has lost cattle to grizzlies and he favors a hunting season for the bears to help reduce conflicts.

But grizzly advocate Chuck Neal, of Cody, says the grizzly bear needs to stay protected and its population must have the opportunity to expand its territory.