In Images: Trapping Yellowstone's Grizzlies

Tracking device attached

yellowstone grizzly bears

(Image credit: Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team)

Researchers with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) and the National Park Service fit a grizzly bear from the Yellowstone area with a radio collar as part of an ongoing effort to study the bears and figure out why the growth in its numbers has started to slow. Once a bear is radio collared, researchers can track its movements with telemetry.

Fast asleep

yellowstone grizzly bears

(Image credit: Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.)

Researchers have tranquilized the bear and prepare to lift it out of the trap and onto the tarp for data collection. Once on the tarp the bear is easier to move.

Protective kerchief

yellowstone grizzly bears

(Image credit: Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.)

The kerchief over the bear's eyes protects it from dust and debris and reduces visual stimulation. The small tubing in its nose, known as a nasal cannula, delivers oxygen to the animal while it is tranquilized.

Data collection begins

yellowstone grizzly bears

(Image credit: Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.)

Researchers begin gathering biological data from the bear.

What a big boy

yellowstone grizzly bears

(Image credit: Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.)

A researcher measures the bear's head.

Dinnertime

yellowstone grizzly bears

(Image credit: Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.)

A grizzly bear in the Shoshone National Forest, Wyo., peers over a scree field. The bear is feeding on army cutworm moths which provide excellent nutrition and are found in high elevation locations throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Live Science Staff
For the science geek in everyone, Live Science offers a fascinating window into the natural and technological world, delivering comprehensive and compelling news and analysis on everything from dinosaur discoveries, archaeological finds and amazing animals to health, innovation and wearable technology. We aim to empower and inspire our readers with the tools needed to understand the world and appreciate its everyday awe.