Yearling black bear killed on bridge

On his way home from J. Neils Park, Mike Harmon witnessed a terrible event. A driver two cars in front of him collided with a small black bear and, without concern for the bear’s condition, continued to drive away.  

The bear was hit in the center of the bridge on Highway 37. Harmon was the helpful bystander. When he approached the bear, he noticed it was alive and spitting blood. The bear also appeared to have a broken back. Harmon did his part to keep the young bear off the road in hopes of saving its life. 

“I was hoping we could save it,” Harmon said. “I was disappointed when I found out that we couldn’t because it was a beautiful bear. I wanted to see it get a whole lot bigger.”

The bear was described by Harmon as being the size of a German shepherd with two white spots with a line between.  Another witness to the event called the police while Harmon waited with the bear.

Wildlife biologist Tanya Chilton Radandt arrived shortly after Libby police officers dispatched the bear. She contacted Fish Wildlife & Parks Game Warden Phil Kilbreath for proper instruction on handling the situation. Kilbreath was in the area and was able to respond to the scene and help haul off the bear. 

Chilton Radandt said this is unusual behavior for bears; however it was not surprising. 

“Bears are utilizing low elevation areas for food sources and Libby is a perfect place for that,” Chilton said. “Libby has such a low elevation, and it is not bear-proofed.”

Chilton Radandt said when she arrived on the scene she noticed the garbage cans in Riverfront Park were not equipped to keep bears out. This is a concerning issue because people in this area are not prepared for these wildlife circumstances, she said. Trash cans that are not contained can cause more bears to lurk around public areas.

“This was a really unfortunate thing to happen,” Chilton Radandt said. “But at the same time it serves as a reminder.”

Chilton Randadt believes the bear was a female yearling that had just been released by her mother and was likely searching for food that was accessible. 

The carcass will be kept in a freezer at a Fish Wildlife & Parks facility. Officials said future demand might call for taxidermy of the bear for educational purposes.