On the morning of Aug. 31, Idaho Fish and Game received a report of a young black bear in the back yard of a residence in a south valley neighborhood of Pocatello. David Dressel and Jon Dixon, both regional wildlife biologists with Fish and Game, responded to find a young bear climbing a fence and foraging on berries. The bear was soon captured and then released to a more suitable habitat in a remote location.

"We can't be sure how or why this black bear found its way to this Pocatello neighborhood, though it is possible it had worked its way along the Portneuf River corridor as it foraged for food," said Dressel.

In severe drought years like this one, there are limited available food resources like berries, nuts, roots, and other vegetation which comprise roughly 90% of an Idaho black bear's diet. Though young bears usually remain with their mothers for at least a year before venturing out on their own, mother bears will sometimes push their young out earlier to reduce competition for food.

The decision to capture and release this bear was made based on a variety of factors. The bear was not a "problem bear" in that it was not eating trash or getting into human structures, it had not caused damage to pets or livestock, nor had it threatened or become habituated to humans. However, based on its proximity to homes and busy roadways, it was in the best interest of safety for both the bear and the public to relocate it away from town.

It is a rare occurrence to have a bear reported in Pocatello city limits, the last time being in 2018 when a wild black bear found its way into Zoo Idaho.