Decapitated Grizzly Bear With Paws Cut Off Found in Yellowstone River

After a lifeless grizzly bear was discovered in Yellowstone river, an investigation began to find out the person behind the heinous act. According to authorities, the bear was decapitated and its paws were declawed.

Dead Grizzly Bear Found

The lifeless grizzly bear was found in June, on a patch of gravel on the border of the Yellowstone River north of Gardiner, Montana, and officials planned on removing it from the place. On the 10th of June, the grizzly bear was still intact and officials made plans to convey it the following day by either boat or helicopter.

Presently, authorities from both the state and the federal government are in search of the person or people who chopped off the dead animal's head and paws.

The U.S. Endangered Species Act safeguards grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It is unlawful to take or be in possession of pieces of an animal. Fines and even imprisonment may be imposed on anyone who did not obey the law.

Investigation is underway

The decapitation of the head and paws of the bear breaches the federal law, therefore officials from the US Fish and Wildlife Service are assisting with the investigation.

A senior grizzly specialist with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Kevin Frey, told the Mountain Journal that he understands someone's wish might have been to collect the head and claws of this animal as souvenirs, but their actions - whether they realize it or not - is a grievous matter and it's an unlawful act.

Kevin Frey added, saying It makes no difference if an individual illegally hunts a bear to kill it or to collect its hide and claws as trophies or comes upon a lifeless grizzly bear and chooses to help themselves to the parts. Grizzlies are species that are federally protected and it's illegal.

The male grizzly bear passed on at the age of 25, which is very old for its specie surviving in the wild, but not unusual in Yellowstone National Park.

How Did This Bear Die?

Yellowstone Park's lead bear management specialist, Kerry Gunther, told the Journal that It's not that uncommon inside Yellowstone, noting that the oldest bear in the park was 31 years old. And getting to that age outside the park, where there are a lot of things and chances for bears to get into trouble, is likely more uncommon.

The Billings Gazette reported the bear in the picture was a known resident of Yellowstone National Park and had a tag with the number 394.

How the bear's death happened is not yet clear, but Gardiner resident and George Bumann, a wildlife artist who studied the animal, made speculations that it may have lost its life from a fight with another bear. The right eye of the bear was swollen and the bear had some blood on its head.

Conversely, Frey believes the bear may have made effort to swim in the river when the water was high and was swept downstream.

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