Coexisting with Bears

At a wildlife jam, a member of the Wildlife Brigade points, directing the attention of visitors to something out of view
Members of the Wildlife Brigade provide educational opportunities for visitors at wildlife jams

Credit: NPS / Adams

 
National parks have long been striking places to observe the human-wildlife interface. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), recovering grizzly bear populations have grown, and so have their interactions with people—especially along roads. Changes in both bear abundance and park visitation patterns have contributed to these increasingly common encounters.

Today’s approach to managing human-wildlife interactions like “Bear Jams” reflects decades of park history and evolving science. Park biologists are continually working to minimize human impacts on wildlife while allowing for visitors to learn about and appreciate bears.
 
 

History of the Human-Bear Interface

 
While grizzly bears have roamed the region we now call the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) for centuries, human activities associated with pioneer settlement haven’t always made it easy. By the early 1900s, grizzlies had been eliminated from most of their historic range in the western United States. One of these isolated populations persisted in the core of Yellowstone National Park. However, that’s where the story makes a dramatic transition. In the decades since Yellowstone’s grizzly bears were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975, an overwhelming conservation success story has followed. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of biologists, public land managers, local communities, private landowners, outdoor enthusiasts, and so many others, over 1,000 grizzly bears roam Greater Yellowstone today.
 

How has management shifted over time?

The way people and bears live together in this area has changed dramatically over the past century and continues to evolve today. This timeline shows key events from across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

While some early changes started in Yellowstone, they provide important context for the conservation strategies used in Grand Teton today. Our current approach is rooted in decades of learning and updating how we care for both bears and people to keep everyone safe and wildlife wild.

 

Wildlife Management vs People Management

 
A grizzly cub stands to look for cars and people, before crossing the highway.
A grizzly cub, likely raised by a habituated mother, watches the road before crossing

NPS/C.J. Adams

Today, bear management in Grand Teton focuses not on controlling bears, but on managing human behavior. Using a proactive approach, the goal is to minimize conflicts by limiting bears' access to unnatural food sources and educate visitors on how to recreate responsibly in bear habitat to keep people safe and bears wild.

The Wildlife Brigade (a seasonal team consisting of a bear biologist, wildlife management rangers, and volunteers) uses an adaptive management approach to respond to changing conditions and behaviors. Their work includes:
  • Managing roadside wildlife jams to promote safe and ethical wildlife viewing
  • Educating visitors about bear safety and wildlife stewardship
  • Monitoring developed areas for unsecured attractants
  • Patrolling campgrounds and other high-use areas
  • Collecting data on bear sightings and wildlife interactions
Current management practices in Grand Teton allow bears to use roadside habitat as long as they are not food-conditioned or displaying dangerous behavior. This approach helps ensure that bears can access natural food sources and move freely across the landscape without being displaced by crowds or traffic.

Managing this human-wildlife interface takes significant staff capacity. In 2024 alone, the Wildlife Brigade responded to 254 black bear jams and 224 grizzly bear jams and contributed 12,800 volunteer hours.
 

Wildlife Viewing Etiquette

 
Like any wildlife encounter, roadside wildlife jams can be highly dynamic depending on the scene. They can shift quickly based on the animal’s behavior, location, and surrounding conditions. The Wildlife Brigade uses a core set of strategies to manage the scene and adjusts operations based on the specific situation.
 
 
Vehicles parked in a line on a road shoulder, while traffic continues in the travel lanes. The crowd takes photos from inside their cars.
Vehicles stopped in a wildlife jam are parked entirely outside the travel lanes. In some cases, visitors will be asked to stay in their vehicles and keep to the opposite side of the road to maintain distance.

Credit: NPS

Managing the Human Side of the Jam

Unmanaged wildlife jams can quickly become chaotic. While it may come as a surprise, the greatest danger is often not the animal, but the traffic. Drivers who stop must comply with the following safety protocols:

  • Do not approach the animal
  • Do not park in front of a crossing animal
  • Follow directions from park staff
  • Recognize these are dynamic situations and instructions may change suddenly
  • Expect a lot of people and be aware of your surroundings ; expect visitors on foot to suddenly cross the travel lane; be prepared for young children to unexpectedly run across the road
  • Do not block the lane of travel
  • Never park in the road
  • Park to right of the white line, ensuring all four tires are out of the travel lane
  • If you step outside your vehicle, be alert for traffic; do not stand in the road

Depending on the animal’s behavior, nearby curves, or visibility conditions, it may be unsafe to exit a vehicle at all. In these cases, the Wildlife Brigade and other park staff will assess the situation and provide guidance. Staff may ask visitors to remain in their vehicle or slowly drive through the area.

There may be times when bear jams need to be shut down due to unsafe conditions or unreasonable disturbance to the animal. When this occurs, you can help by departing the scene and looking for wildlife in other areas of the park.

The park does not manage bear viewing in developed areas. Frontcountry developments, such as campgrounds, lodges, and employee residential areas, are managed for people. While bears are tolerated transiting through developed areas as they move across the landscape, bears are not tolerated lingering in these areas.

When bears are localized in and around human developments, there is an elevated risk to human safety and an increased chance of a human-bear conflict. Thus, the Wildlife Brigade and other park staff use a spectrum of tools to escort bears out of these areas. These are not places to observe and photograph bears. You can help by providing staff space to manage the bear and look for bears in other areas where viewing is tolerated.

 
 
A grizzly bear walks amongst snow through an open meadow in Willow Flats.
A grizzly bear walks amongst snow through an open meadow in Willow Flats.

NPS Photo

Protecting Crossings and Habitat Use

While most wildlife avoid lingering near busy roadways, animals need to be able to cross roads to move across the landscape. The Wildlife Brigade is trained to recognize these moments based on behavioral cues that determine whether an animal is committed to crossing or just lingering near the road.

Staff create safe corridors by holding traffic and clearing space for the animal to cross. Providing secure passage reduces stress on the animal, prevents traffic collisions, and allows wildlife to continue moving naturally through their habitat.

Why Distance Matters

Certain visitor behaviors such as surrounding a bear on multiple sides, leaving the shoulder to approach, or crowding an animal can endanger both people and bears. That moment of crowding might not only result in a lost viewing opportunity but also compromise the long-term safety of that animal.

The Wildlife Brigade’s goal is always to provide for a safe, educational, and respectful experience for all. Visitors come from around the world to see wild bears in the park. But these incredible experiences depend on a shared responsibility: to protect bear populations and ensure that wildlife can continue to thrive here, not just today—but for generations to come.
 

Preventing Vehicle Collisions

Along with bears, Grand Teton is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including moose, elk, bison, and wolves. Unfortunately, vehicle collisions can present a significant risk to these animals. Each year, 75-100 large animals are struck by vehicles on park roads, which often results in the death of the animal, substantial property damage and ocasionally human injury.

 
Lighted sign that reads "whoa! Migratin Wildlife"
Roadway signs remind visitors to slow down and watch for crossing wildlife

NPS/M.Nall

Why it Matters:

  • Wildlife Safety: Collisions can be fatal for animals and disrupt ecological balance by artificially reducing population abundances and interrupting natural processes. Additionally, bears and other scavengers that feed on the carcasses of roadkilled animals are vulnerable to vehicle strikes themselves.
  • Human Safety: Accidents involving large animals can result in serious injuries or fatalities for vehicle occupants.
  • Economic Impact: The average cost of a wildlife-vehicle collision varies by species. For instance, collisions involving moose can average over $30,000, considering vehicle damage, medical expenses, carcass removal, and more.

How to Reduce Collisions:

  • Obey Speed Limits: Speed limits in the park range from 25 to 55 MPH. Slower speeds give drivers more time to react to animals on or near the road. There is a nighttime speed limit of 45mph on Hwy 89/191/26.
  • Stay Alert: Be especially vigilant during dawn and dusk when wildlife is most active.
  • Use High Beams: When appropriate, use high beams at night to spot animals from a greater distance
  • Do Not Swerve: If an animal suddenly appears, brake firmly and stay in your lane. Swerving can lead to more severe accidents.

Legal Consequences:

Accidents happen. Sometimes an animal suddenly runs into the travel lane, providing the driver no time to react to avoid a collision. While drivers are required to report all motor vehicle accidents, including wildlife strikes, a citation will not always be issued.

However, if speeding, distracted, or reckless driving is found to be a contributing factor, the driver may be issued a citation or, in especially egregious cases, a mandatory court appearance. Fines vary based on the severity of the offense and can be substantial.

Call Teton Interagency Dispatch Center at 307-739-3301 to report wildlife-vehicle collisions.

By driving responsibly and staying alert, you help protect the park's wildlife and ensure a safer experience for all visitors and residents alike.

 

Intervening with Intention, Hazing

While most bear management in Grand Teton focuses on influencing human behavior, there are times when direct intervention with bears is necessary. Developed areas pose a higher risk for human-bear conflict. Bears lingering on roadway shoulders or walking along asphalt are more vulnerable to vehicle strikes. In either of these cases, park staff may use hazing techniques to encourage the bear to move away.
 

Frequently Asked Questions About Hazing

 

Preventing Food Conditioning

 
A firepit filled with wrappers, used plates and cutlery, carboard, and other abandoned trash.
Trash, left abandoned in a firepit, is an example of improper waste disposal that could attract a bear.

Credit: NPS

Most human-bear conflicts occur when human food is left unsecured. A curious bear may take advantage of this mistake, which often leads to the bear repeating the behavior and park staff having to intervene.

Preventing food conditioning is critical. Bears have an extraordinary sense of smell. They can detect odors from great distances and use their powerful memory to recall where they’ve found food before, even years later. If human food is easy to access, a bear may return to the area, associating people and developed spaces with easy food sources.

To ensure this doesn't happen, any item with an odor—whether food, trash, toiletries, or pet food—must be properly stored. When not in use, attractants should be secured in a hard-sided structure, inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up, or a bear-resistant storage locker. Even something as simple as an abandoned backpack or trash left in a firepit can present a food reward and alter a bear’s future.

 

Examples of Attractants

 

Monitoring Success

 

Park staff monitor the human-wildlife interface by documenting bear sightings, traffic jams caused by wildlife, conflicts between people and bears, and wildlife-vehicle collisions. This information helps evaluate how well current strategies are working and when changes are needed.

 
At night, an infrared trail camera captures a grizzly bear wandering past
A grizzly bear wanders past an infrared trail camera.

Credit: NPS

Tracking How Bears Move Through the Landscape

Using GPS radio collars, park biologists study how grizzly bears travel and when they’re active. These collars provide insights into:

  • Home ranges
  • Reproductive success
  • Survival rates
  • Population estimates

This method of telemetry was pioneered by Frank and John Craighead in the 1960s–70s, laying the groundwork for modern bear research. The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team aims to maintain at least 25 collars on reproducing females and a sample of males across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.




What Happens During a Bear Capture?

To fit a collar, biologists must first safely capture a bear following strict animal welfare protocols. During this process, they also collect:

  • Blood and hair samples (to study genetics, health and diet)
  • A small tooth (to estimate age)

Monitoring Bears from the Air and Ground

Routine flight surveys help biologists check on cubs and yearlings, who typically aren’t collared. Remote cameras in high-use areas also help reveal how bears navigate both backcountry and developed landscapes.

Collecting Visitor Reports

Many bear sightings are reported by visitors. These reports are key for:

  • Identifying unique females with cubs (basis for estimating population size)
  • Noting bears in unusual areas (like high-elevation talus slopes)
  • Identifying bears displaying concerning behavior
  • Documenting human-bear conflicts

What’s a conflict? Any time a bear gets human food, damages property, or injures someone, it’s recorded as a human-bear conflict. Black bears tend to be involved in more conflicts than grizzlies each year.

What the Data Tells Us

Successful recovery of grizzly bears depends on more than just population numbers. The survival and distribution of reproductive females is critical.

Ongoing research is also exploring new questions—like how growing up near people affects a bear's behavior. For example, do cubs raised by habituated mothers become more food-conditioned themselves? Time, and more data, will tell.

 

Looking to the Future

 
A grizzly bear and cub utilize a crossing bracket, visitors maintaining distance on either side.
A grizzly sow and her cub utilize a crossing bracket.

Credit: NPS / Adams

Human activity remains the leading cause of bear mortality in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In Grand Teton, most bear deaths can be traced back to unsecured attractants—something that’s entirely preventable.

Park biologists have determined that the local grizzly bear population has reached biological carrying capacity. To meet the growing demand of human-wildlife interactions, the park’s Wildlife Brigade has expanded significantly in recent years. Even so, staffing remains outpaced by rising visitation, especially as more people come specifically hoping to see bears.

The park regularly evaluates and adjusts its bear management strategies—from temporary closures to no-stopping zones and hazing policies—but long-term success depends on shared responsibility. When visitors secure their food, keep their distance, and follow guidance from staff, they help protect the very wildlife they came to see.
 

Question & Answers

 

Bear Safety: Are you prepared for a bear encounter?

It is common to see bears near and on trails as they are often the easiest way to move through the park. Make noise while you are out in the park to help alert bears to your presence and avoid surprising them. Respect all bear and wildlife closures. Your safety cannot be guaranteed.

If you encounter a bear:

  • General Encounter (Most Common): If you encounter a bear on the trail or nearby, give them space and slowly back away. DO NOT USE BEAR SPRAY at this point. If the bear does not move on, change your plans and turn around to give the bear ample space.
  • If the Bear Charges, Runs at You (Rare): Stand your ground and deploy bear spray.
  • If a Charge Leads to Contact (Very Rare): Fall to your stomach and play dead.
  • If a Bear Stalks and Then Attacks (Extremely Rare): Fight back aggressively.
  • If a Bear Attacks Your Tent (Extremely Rare): Fight back aggressively.

How to Use Bear Spray:

If a bear charges at you then:
  • Remove the safety clip.
  • Aim slightly downward towards the bear's front legs, at a range of 15-30ft.
  • Discharge a 1-2 second burst, creating a cloud the charging bear will run through.
  • If the charge continues, spray again.
 

Learn More About Bears

 
A mother grizzly and cub walk through a field.
Bears in Grand Teton

Learn about the ecology of black bears and grizzly bears in Grand Teton.

a woman sprays bear spray while a man with two kids stands behind
Safety in Bear Country

Learn what to do when encountering a bear, and how to use bear spray.

 

Explore Grand Teton

 
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Plan Your Visit

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Things to Do

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Last updated: June 17, 2025

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Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 170
Moose, WY 83012

Phone:

307-739-3399
Talk to a Ranger? To speak to a Grand Teton National Park ranger call 307–739–3399 for visitor information Monday-Friday during business hours.

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