Translocated Female Grizzly Emerges From Den with Two Cubs

photo: The female grizzly bear, captured in Montana and released in Wyoming in the summer of 2024, recently emerged from her den with two cubs) taken during routine WGFD bear monitoring flight

HELENA – Within just two years, the female grizzly that was released in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) emerged from her den this spring with two cubs in tow – a welcoming sight that represents successful population genetic enhancement and state collaboration. This event marks a milestone for grizzly bear management in America, establishing certain genetic interchange between the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) in Montana and the GYE. 

Biologists released the bear in Wyoming two years ago as part of a joint effort between Wyoming and Montana to establish genetic exchange between the two ecosystems. She was recently seen and photographed with cubs at her den site during a radio-telemetry monitoring flight. 

 “This is concrete evidence that Montana and Wyoming are committed to sustaining a recovered population of grizzly bears and is a major success in our continued efforts to ensure genetic diversity in these two recovered populations of bears,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks director Christy Clark.  

The female was one of two grizzlies that were translocated through a partnership between FWP, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) and Yellowstone National Park. The other bear was a subadult male. The female was 4 years old at the time of the translocation and is now 6.