A 10-year-old grizzly bear that had been involved in a fatal attack on a woman and another attack on a person was killed after breaking into a house near West Yellowstone, Montana wildlife officials confirmed on Wednesday. The incident occurred over the weekend when a homeowner reported that a bear with a cub had broken through their kitchen window and stolen a container of dog food. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency later captured the cub and authorized the shooting of the 10-year-old female grizzly with permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Grizzly bears are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and the decision to kill the bear was made after genetic analysis and other identifying factors confirmed its involvement in the fatal attack on Amie Adamson, a 48-year-old former teacher from Kansas. The attack took place on July 22, approximately 8 miles from West Yellowstone. Previous attempts to trap the bear had been unsuccessful.

In addition to the attack on Adamson, the grizzly bear had also been involved in another attack in Idaho in 2020, where a person was injured near Henrys Lake State Park. Officials believe that both encounters with humans were defensive responses by the bear. The bear had been captured in 2017 for research purposes, highlighting its existing interactions with human populations.

Following the incident, efforts are now underway to find a suitable zoo to take in the 46-pound male cub. The cub is currently being held at the state wildlife rehabilitation center in Helena, Montana, and arrangements are being made for its transfer. This move aims to ensure the cub's safety and wellbeing while also preventing any potential future conflicts between the bear and humans.

The incident serves as a reminder of the complex challenges faced by wildlife officials in managing human-wildlife interactions in areas near national parks. It underscores the need for continued efforts to educate the public about proper bear safety and to implement effective management strategies to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears.