Wildlife officials set bear trap near Stansbury Park, urge caution

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials are trying to catch a black bear that was spotted around Stansbury Park in Tooele.

According to Faith Heaton Jolley a trap was set for this bear on Wednesday, May 28. But she said they were not able to catch the bear overnight, so officials will try again on Thursday.

 

“This is an unusual area for a black bear,” Jolley said in a statement to KSL. Her department was notified about the bear by a Stansbury Park resident. The trap was placed in the resident’s back yard.

Though Jolley said that the Stansbury Park area of Tooele is an unusual place to spot a black bear, it’s not unheard of. On a website shared with Utah’s Hogle Zoo and Utah State University, the DWR reminds visitors that the entire state of Utah is bear country.

“… especially so if you live in the foothills or other mountainous parts of the state,” the DWR said. Because of this, they recommend:

• throwing trash away carefully,
• storing it in an area that bears cannot access, and
• putting trash out on the morning of pickup, not the night before.

What to consider if you want to keep a bear away from your home

Bird feeders are popular this time of year, and pet food containers can be found outside year-round. But these, too, should be secured or even removed if there is a concern that bears are in the area.

Bears will travel a significant distance for food according to the DWR, including outside the boundaries of their traditional habitats. This may explain why a black bear was sighted in an urban area such as Stansbury Park.

If you see a black bear, the DWR recommends that you:

• stand your ground, (don’t run or play dead),
• give the bear a chance to leave, and
• prepare to use your bear spray.

Related:

• Do you know what to do if you encounter a bear?
• Bear that woke up residents in Salt Lake City safely relocated
• Bear sightings nearly double in 2024

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