Messy camp at national park lures bear and earns Idaho woman $5,800 fine, judge rules

A messy Grand Teton National Park campsite cost an Idaho woman a $5,800 fine after the garbage attracted a bear, a Wyoming judge ruled.

The 50-year-old woman “failed to properly store garbage and beverages” while camping at the Wyoming national park, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Wyoming reported.

The odor attracted a grizzly bear, which other campers captured on video as it rummaged through the woman’s campsite for food, prosecutors said.

National Park Service rangers tranquilized the bear and relocated it to another part of the park. They also placed a GPS collar on the grizzly so it can be tracked.

“It could pose a danger to humans if the bear were to have another similar incident, and euthanizing the bear may become necessary,” prosecutors said.

The campground has numerous warning signs about proper food storage and bear boxes available for campers to use, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

A Wyoming judge fined the woman for the $5,826.99 cost of removing the bear.

“Irresponsible behaviors have consequences, and many times it is the wildlife that pays the ultimate price,” said Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins.

This story was originally published July 25, 2021 at 10:16 AM with the headline "Messy camp at national park lures bear and earns Idaho woman $5,800 fine, judge rules."