It's beginning to sound like open season for black bears in Grand Teton National Park. For the third time in less than a month rangers have killed a black bear that had grown too accustomed to tying humans to food. This time the bear was a 60-pound male.
In recent weeks rangers killed two other black bears, both females, who had turned into problem bears because park visitors had left food out.
In the most recent case, the young male is thought to have obtained food in early August when visitors had left food unattended at Inspiration Point.
"Since then, this young bear repeatedly acquired food from people, once more at Inspiration Point but primarily at the Jenny Lake Campground and along the shores of Jenny Lake. He boldly approached people to take food and did this more frequently as time passed," park officials said. "During the first week of September, incidents involving this bear occurred almost daily. He showed no fear of humans by this time, approached families at picnic sites, walked around cars in parking areas, and even investigated a cabin in one incident, putting his paws up on the cabin window."
The park's news release did not mention whether any visitors were cited for making food available to the bear and calls to park officials were not immediately returned.
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