Park: Bear Died Because of Visitors' Bad Decisions

Grand Teton National Park officials say a black bear is dead because of park visitors' bad choices. The park euthanized the bear on Sept. 11 after days of it repeatedly approaching visitors near remote Delta Lake in Wyoming and resisting efforts to scare it off, CBS News reports. Rangers concluded the animal had been rewarded with unsecured food often enough that it had learned to seek out humans, creating what they called an "unacceptable safety risk."

• "We need to be clear—this bear was lethally removed because of poor decisions made by park visitors," the park said in a Facebook post. "It is everyone's responsibility to help keep bears wild: Never leave food unattended, even for a moment. Gather all your belongings, especially your food, if a bear approaches. If you have time to grab your phone, you have time to grab your food. "

The park said it determined there was a "food-conditioning issue" after it was observed receiving "multiple human food rewards." The park shared images of the bear eating food that had been left behind. Another image shows visitors within a few feet of the bear, KTLA reports. "A bear that gets a food reward can learn that approaching people pays off," the park said. "What may seem like a small decision in the moment can have serious consequences for the bear, other visitors and park staff. Help us keep bears wild by making the right choice every time." Officials said relocating the bear wasn't likely to work, describing lethal removal as a last resort.