A young black bear made an unexpected appearance in Jackson’s Miller Park on Friday morning, capturing the attention of local residents. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) received reports of the bear wandering through the downtown park around 8:15 a.m. By the time a large carnivore biologist from WGFD arrived, the bear had already moved on.

Raegin Akhtar, WGFD Public Information Specialist, noted that videos taken by the public and a few tracks indicated it was likely a juvenile black bear passing through the area. Fortunately, there were no reports of any conflicts with the bear.

Community Response and Safety Measures

This sighting serves as a timely reminder for Jackson residents to ensure that potential bear attractants, such as garbage, are properly secured. The Town of Jackson is actively working to replace all public garbage cans with bear-resistant ones, with the goal of completing this initiative by June 30.

Wildlife sightings are not uncommon in Jackson, as various animals occasionally traverse the downtown corridor. In addition to bears, moose have been spotted in town, particularly during winters with heavy snowfall. Notably, Grizzly 399 and her four cubs famously wandered through the Jackson Hole Police Department parking lot in November 2021.

The WGFD advises wildlife observers to maintain a safe distance of at least 100 yards from bears to ensure both human and animal safety.

Original reporting: Buckrail (Jackson WY) — read the source article.