MONSTERS

Wildlife Officials Hunt for Sicko Who Decapitated and Declawed Yellowstone Grizzly Bear

Officials at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are actively investigating the incident.

Federal and state officials are searching for the individual(s) responsible for decapitating and declawing a grizzly bear in Gardiner, Montana, Idaho Statesman reports. It is illegal to possess grizzly bear parts as part of the federal Endangered Species Act. The 25-year old bear, tagged number 394, washed ashore next to a river after possibly drowning and was a resident at Yellowstone National Park. George Bumann, a local sculptor, learned of the dead bear and visited it to take measurements to plan for potential artwork. He posted photos of the bear on his blog on June 11 but made efforts not to disclose its specific location. When wildlife officials visited the bear’s carcass on June 10, it was still intact, but when they returned the next day, it had been decapitated and declawed. Officials at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are actively investigating the incident.