{"id":9652,"date":"2014-04-07T17:33:00","date_gmt":"2014-04-07T23:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yellowstonegate.com\/?p=9652"},"modified":"2014-04-07T17:38:52","modified_gmt":"2014-04-07T23:38:52","slug":"bears-in-grand-teton-are-active-as-spring-weather-arrives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yellowstonegate.com\/?p=9652","title":{"rendered":"Bears in Grand Teton are active as spring weather arrives"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Officials<\/a>
Officials in Grand Teton National Park report that grizzly bears are active and out of hibernation with the arrival of spring weather.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bears are out of hibernation and active again in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Park staff received reports of a group of bears seen recently near the Blacktail Butte which lies just east of the park\u2019s Moose headquarters campus.<\/p>\n

Long-term data indicates that 50 percent of adult male bears are out of their winter dens by mid-March each year, and females with yearlings often emerge shortly after, according to a statement released by the park’s public affairs office.<\/p>\n

Both local residents and park visitors should be alert for the presence of bears throughout all areas\u00a0of the park and parkway.<\/p>\n

When bears leave their winter dens, they search for any food source that will help restore fat reserves lost during hibernation. Winter-killed animals provide immediate sources of protein, and hungry bears will strongly defend this and other food sources against perceived threats. Carcasses and freshly killed animals should serve as a point of caution\u2014a red flag to detour away from the area. As snow banks recede, bears also dig up wildflower bulbs and burrowing rodents.<\/p>\n

Now that bears are awake, appropriate precautions must be taken. Park visitors need to exercise common sense and good judgment, stay alert, and follow these recommended safety precautions while skiing or hiking:<\/p>\n