TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Wood River Valley is under bear watch after several recent sightings.
Idaho Fish and Game officials are investigating a report of a black bear near Alturas Elementary School.
The school issued a shelter-in-place order while the Hailey City Police and an Idaho Fish and Game conservation officer monitored the animal.
Biologists from Jerome came and darted the bear, allowing them to transport and release the animal at Galena Summit.
Morgan Ballis from the Hailey City Police Department discussed the department’s role.
“Making sure that the public was safe, that means being on scene and keeping them away from that area, but also communicating with them via social media and other outlets to let them know of what was going on,” Ballis said. “At first, the officers were trying to just get the bear naturally to move out of the yard.”
To help keep bears in the wild, Idaho Fish and Game recommends keeping all human sources of food, bird seed and pet food out of a bear’s reach.
“The first is just securing your household garbage, and when I say secure, that means keeping it in your garage, keeping it in a lock shed,” Ballis said. “You don’t want to have that bear having the ability to get to that garbage cart. The other thing is don’t feed your pets outside and leave them.”
Idaho Fish and Game advised people to report bear sightings to them. If a bear is spotted, if it appears aggressive or threatening, call the local sheriff’s department.
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