Drunk Montana Grizzly Bear Death Toll On The Rise

Drunk Montana Grizzly Bear Death Toll On The Rise

Montana, truly one of the most beautiful places to live and call home.  We share this home with one of the most dangerous animal to man kind.  Grizzly bear.  AKA....man eaters.  Not much can take on a grizzly and live to talk about it.  But there is something powerful enough to stop a grizzly in it's tracks.  Imagine this: Grizzly bears, majestic and powerful, getting a bit too tipsy on fermented grain, and stumbling into the path of a train. It's a tale that's as bizarre as it is unbelievable.   You better believe it.  63 Grizzly bear have been killed by trains, while drunk, in the Treasure State.

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The rail line that goes over Marias Pass and the Great Bear Wilderness near Glacier National Park is the treacherous stretch of tracks that have killed 63 bear since 1980.  Railcars are known to spill grain in this section.  This grain ferments over time.

Variety Is The Spice of Life

Montana grizzly have developed a taste for this fermented grain.  It brings something new to the table, something other than the occasional hiker, berries, or fish.   Imagine these furry party animals getting a little wobbly on their paws, swaying to some imaginary music, and probably sharing some bear banter!

Unfortunately, 63 grizzlies have wandered onto train tracks while they were, shall we say, less than coordinated. The poor train operators probably had the fright of their lives when they see drunk grizzly bears trying to cross the tracks.

When Montana Wildlife Meets the Booze and the Blues

While the combination of grizzlies, booze, and trains might sound like the setup for a wildlife-themed sitcom, it's a reminder that the wild can be unpredictable and full of dangers. Fortunately, wildlife officials are working to prevent these encounters, but for now, let's hope Montana's grizzly bears find safer ways to enjoy their snacks and keep the train tracks clear.