News
Black Bear Killed By Motorist Within Grand Teton National Park
Published
2 years agoon
By
News Release
To protect wildlife, park officials ask visitors and local residents to practice vigilance and slow down while driving in Grand Teton National Park.
Seeing wildlife in their natural habitat is one of the many unique opportunities that make the park a special, awe-inspiring place.
With the Fourth of July weekend approaching, one of the busiest times of the summer, motorists are urged to do their part to protect these animals.
On Thursday, June 29th, a yearling male black bear was struck by a vehicle along US Highway 89 in the northern part of the park and had to be euthanized due to the extent of its injuries.
The young bear was likely one of the triplets recently weaned from a family group many visitors had the opportunity to observe this spring.
The individual(s) who hit the bear fled the scene.
In the last week alone, three deer and the yearling black bear were hit by vehicles traveling on park roads.
About 75–100 large animals are struck by vehicles each year in Grand Teton.
Wildlife are often active near park roadways, difficult to see and can cross the road unexpectedly.
Visitors and local residents are reminded to:
Don’t kill wildlife.
Park staff work tirelessly to preserve the diversity of animals found within Grand Teton.
Protect wildlife that visitors come from all over the world to see by slowing down, keeping alert, and saving a life.
Karen Williams
June 30, 2023 at 9:12 pm
So heartbreaking to hear. I don’t understand how some people have such a lack of respect for rules. Wildlife is so amazing to watch in their habitat. To have no sense of compassion, morals, values, respect is beyond me. These parks and preserves are suppose to be a place to enjoy the beauty of God’s gifts. It takes a few fools or as they are called touring to ruin it it for everyone.
Jeff
July 1, 2023 at 7:25 pm
They are tourons not touring but i agree with you 100%
Kevin
July 2, 2023 at 4:19 am
I fully agree with you , others I don’t get them . People are so disrespectful I can only imagine how they are with other people yet alone animals!!
Élisabeth Schneider
July 2, 2023 at 2:18 am
Humans need to be banned from these parks, so wildlife can live in peace, but you have made a circus of these parks,!! Ban people, leave these animals, alone.
Debbie Roberts
June 30, 2023 at 9:15 pm
That was a total disregard of life.To hit that animal& leave the scene it horrible. I hope they catch the monster. Sad day in the park.
Cecelia Dreeszen
July 1, 2023 at 7:00 pm
If I did it, I would’ve immediately called someone of the emergency department for the park, & I would be sobbing uncontrollably!!!!!!
Kevin
July 2, 2023 at 4:32 am
Yeah , I feel the same , in my eyes animals are a lot better than some people I know , but even wild life are so out of this world very beautiful to look at and to learn . They -( people) should be much more careful and respect them and there yard stay away from them and there babies!!
Joan Jacobs
June 30, 2023 at 9:45 pm
Stupid stupid reckless clueless people
They should not be allowed in the park. They are destroying the animals and serenity of the wild.
Kat beaver
June 30, 2023 at 9:53 pm
Drivers need to be fined and entrance to parks prohibited if they were speeding, esp if wildlife is killed
They would be fined if driving outside park
Careless people MUST start being held accountable for their stupidity
Violenda Johnnie
June 30, 2023 at 10:12 pm
You can say it and say it like a broken record. But people dont listen, they dont obey the laws, be it the speed limits or getting close to the wildlife. They dont listen!! Why!!?? Why!!?
Pamela Schuler
July 1, 2023 at 3:09 am
Low speed protect all wildlife
wildlife injured or killed
Fined, jail sentence six months volunteer
Sarah Hall
July 1, 2023 at 4:41 am
Such a tragety! We must lower the speed limit and put up more cameras! These poor animals. They are supose to be safe!!! Man is the only animals who kills for fun! If it comes to it, NO MORE MOTOR VEHICLES IN OUR PARKS!!!! I CAN NOT TAKE THE LOSE. I DONT CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE HORRIBLE HUMANS! HOPEFULLY, GOD WILL FLOOD THE PLANET AGAIN!!!!!!
LaMont Brown
July 1, 2023 at 6:56 am
The posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour is much too high!
30 miles per hour is much safer!
Donna R. Moss
July 1, 2023 at 7:52 am
Charge outrageous prices for breaking the rules of petting,feeding,endangering wildlife.thats the only way these type of people will.AND ENFORCE IT TO THE LETTER
Roben D Argenbright
July 2, 2023 at 6:14 am
I feel that these people should be banned for life from National Parks. If they can obey the rules then they don’t have the right to be there. Our wildlife pays the price for thire stupidity. It’s no fair to them
Richard Kneiling
July 1, 2023 at 8:10 am
These great parks like Grand Teton and Yellowstone perhaps should not allow private vehicular intrusion. Having only smaller tour busses driven by qualified and focused parks’ personnel.
Judith Morgan
July 1, 2023 at 8:34 am
It’s time to ban private cars in wildlife parks and begin investing in trams for sightseeing – if serious about protecting wildlife and preserving parks.
Kathy C
July 1, 2023 at 8:42 am
So Sad to hear. Although accidents do happen… there are people that are irresponsible and unethical! To those I say
SHAME ON YOU!
Angela McKinley
July 1, 2023 at 8:52 am
Install speed bumps every 50 ft. Ask for donations and volunteers if it is too costly for the park.
'Shaz' Corriero
July 1, 2023 at 8:55 am
Love them, want one, sadly … must wait for funds to accumulate 😔 🖤🤍
Aurelie O'Sullivan
July 1, 2023 at 9:05 am
Maybe it would be time to restrict visits of all the National parks by bus only, with strict rules that officials on board of such buses can reinforce.
Laurie Pellegrino
July 1, 2023 at 10:14 am
That is heartbreaking.
Same on those people for not driving with care.
The animals live there
Something has to be done to prevent tragic deaths
Jeannette Grzybowski
July 1, 2023 at 10:24 am
In live in Tn. Not far from the smoky mountains. And its the same here. People dont slow down. They act like its a race tract.
Timothy DIAZ
July 1, 2023 at 10:50 am
Shut the parks down for 6 months to a year, but that would put a hardship on employees, these imbeciles just dont get it. Common sense is not taught in schools or some people’s kids, leave the animals alone. Increase fines to five or ten fold. What are the parks waiting for more people to e permanently maimed or killed
Lucille Bogdanowicz
July 1, 2023 at 11:10 am
As a older long time driver I am astounded by drivers on the hyways today.
It’s lethal bad manners. They sometimes endangering me but also the passengers in their own cars. Driving fast and “ruggedly cool” is promoted in car ads.
I pity animals who are driven out of forests and into the roads.
Kimberly Goebel
July 1, 2023 at 12:02 pm
What in the world is wrong with humans now days! No respect for anything!
We are horrible!
Brent Lupardus
July 1, 2023 at 12:05 pm
If you are driving through the park like your late for work
You don’t need to be in the park.GO BACK TO WORK
Tammy OHenry
July 1, 2023 at 12:06 pm
SLOW DOWN N FOLLOW THE RULES. QUIT HURTING N KILLING OUR WILDLIFE. PLEASE UR ON HOLIDAY THERE IS NO REASON TO BE IN A HURRY PLUS DON’T TRY TO GET CLOSE TO OUR MAGNIFICENT ANIMALS
George Bobella jr
July 1, 2023 at 12:14 pm
Seems people are just plain stupid & some cowardly for fleeing accident they created causing death. May they never sleep well!!
Carol Evans
July 1, 2023 at 12:55 pm
This low life is nothing but a coward not to report. No regard for life. Next time could be a kid!
Robert Senkow
July 1, 2023 at 1:23 pm
You must be a real asshole to hit a bear and just take off. Put camera’s in the park and hold them accountable.
Eugenia Garcia
July 1, 2023 at 1:56 pm
After reading so many articles about wildlife being killed, due to humane IGNORANCE, HUMANS LACK OF EMPATHY & just plain COMMON SENSE, I feel that stricter laws should be put into action, to PROTECT these animals in their own habitat.! By nature I must say, that humans are the least respectful mammals in this world. They destroy everything they touch! There are some humans who do everything they can to PROTECT WILDLIFE. But the majority is so small to make a big difference!
Idiotic humans who act worst then children, should be held accountable for their actions.! These animals are in their protected space, & humans enter with NO RESPECT OR REGARD for their SPACE. And when an ignorant humane invades the wildlife space & gets injured , the animal should not have to pay with its life!
Marilu Kafka
July 1, 2023 at 2:08 pm
So sad, but not surprised. Without consequences people will continue to disobey rules. I would like to know how many people have been arrested or pay heavy fines VS the amount of animals killed and/or disobeying distance rules . Are we protecting the animals or the people that don’t care about them and are more intetested in a selfie.
Linda Lombardo
July 1, 2023 at 2:53 pm
It’s so upsetting to hear about how careless the tourists are. It is as if they don’t even care about the beautiful animals that they are harming, killing.
Cathi Worley
July 1, 2023 at 3:15 pm
What do I think about this subject? Wildlife has no Protection at all, people Invade their privacy they hunt them down they kill them and they get by with that there should be a law we’re people cannot hunt wildlife, and it seems to me, that people just do as they wish to do, something should be done to Protect all wildlife, from humans,
Jeri Whittaker
July 1, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Our world is full of idiots. They do a terrible act then run. I hope, if they’re ever caught, the Law Officals throw the book at them. What cowards!!!!!!!
CHRISTINE E COLE
July 1, 2023 at 4:07 pm
Tourons!!!! To leave a poor animal suffering on side of road is just ignorant and cruel! It’s time park officials clamp down on rules.. enforcement.
Catherine Byrnes
July 1, 2023 at 5:58 pm
Speed bumps would help.
Or maybe consider closing some roads in the park to vehicles during the season yearlings are expected to be traversing the park. Ive been to MANY NPs and people are seriously cateless with the environment and with wildlife.
Lisa Franklin-mann
July 1, 2023 at 6:17 pm
I think they should close the park. People are stupid and don’t know how to act.I have no hope for humanity anymore. Harming defenseless animals only shows that these animals have the higher IQ.
Sue Tate
July 1, 2023 at 7:09 pm
I have been to Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks twice. A speed limit of 45 is too fast. My opinion the speed limit should be lowered to 25 giving the animals the ability to react to passing vehicles. People go way above the posted speed limit so the speed limit should be lowered. It sounds like these mishaps have gotten more prevalence since I was there 20 years ago. The parks animals are precious and need to be respected.
Sharon Molnar Schleif
July 1, 2023 at 7:44 pm
Maybe they should start requiring a permit to get into the park. You apply online and they have your drivers license and tag number.
Elisabeth Anderson
July 1, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Awful a driver can’t see a bear in time to slow down and not hit it.
Karen walter
July 1, 2023 at 9:29 pm
The only thing humans care about now is $ so make the fine 100,000$ and law enforcement will suddenly be interested. Disgusting driving away leaving a suffering animal.
DEBBY MYERS
July 1, 2023 at 10:00 pm
OMG…OMG…WHY HAVE YOU NOT CAUGHT THE KILLERS OF THESE PRECIOUS ANGEL BABY CREATURES??????? 💔 THIS NEWS BREAKS ALL OF OUR HEARTS!!!!!!!!!!!💔 💔
Debra Stirnaman
July 1, 2023 at 10:26 pm
I’m so sick of stupid careless people. We need to respect our wildlife more it is so sad only a yearling.
Joas
July 1, 2023 at 11:12 pm
I can believe it. We use to motorcycle vacations. Been thru Yellowstone, Glaicer many times. People then were just as stupid,just not so many.Picture, cub running down hill,across road to water.Dozens out with cameras following cub. We weaved thru to get away fast. Guess where Mama Bear was-coming down the hill!! Lots of yelling behind us. Never looked back. We did try to warn them,but they not listening. Humans just getting worse.
Lucy Cochran
July 1, 2023 at 11:58 pm
You absolutely cannot fix stupid. Not everyone has a heart.
Ray Jaroneski
July 2, 2023 at 9:42 am
Having worked in different National Parks as a campground host, I will tell you whats wrong. The Rangers(Law Enforcement) cannot do their job as required because the Park Superintendent is told by the idiots in Congress not to make waves. Remember they control the money given to the Park Service. Ergo, more complaints from their constituents, less money. Those ccomplaining are the ones that are in violation of the laws and regulations that the National Park Service is supposed to enforce.
Richard Horton
July 6, 2023 at 4:23 am
I too, feel for the loss of wildlife however, NOWHERE in this story does it say that the motorist was speeding or violating the law in any way. As probably most of the commenters know, the same exact thing happens out on our highways daily when pronghorn, deer, or others animals run out in front of traffic! From what is in the story, how can the motorist be totally at fault? Should the motorist have stayed on the scene? Maybe but how many stay on the scene after any other animals have been hit and injured? Woyld you want to take a chance that mama was close by?