Yellowstone Grizzly Deaths Highest in Four Years

According to statistics from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), 2012 saw the highest number of grizzly bear deaths in the greater Yellowstone area in the past four years. Researchers recorded a total of 51 bear deaths this year, compared to 44 deaths in 2011, 50 deaths in 2010 and 31 in 2009.

Statistics about the deaths

By Gender

Male: 20

Female: 11

Unknown: 20

By Age

Adult: 20

Subadult: 6

Yearling: 1

Cub of the year: 12

Unknown: 12

By Location

Inside Yellowstone National Park: 10

Inside Grand Teton National Park: 2

Inside Bridger-Teton National Forest: 8

Outside of national parks (includes those in BTNF): 39

By Cause

Known natural: 9

Likely natural: 6

Known human-caused: 29

Probably human-caused: 5

Unknown/other: 2

Among the bears killed this year was “Brownie,” a yearling cub of Grand Teton National Park’s well known, mother bear known as “399.” Brownie was the only human-caused casualty within a national park (the other 28 known human-caused deaths were outside of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks). He died as a result of trauma from a vehicle strike.

For more information about grizzly mortality rates for the past four years, visit the USGS website.