Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone.

[plloydie]

• The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center at West Yellowstone is a sanctuary for animals that cannot be freed for various reasons.

• Sam the Grizzly bear, Sam comes in at 67 stone / 950 lb, It was a sobering sight, apparently the Grizzlies that feed on the salmon on the Alaskan coast are larger.
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, west Yellowstne by Paul, on Flickr
  
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, west Yellowstne by Paul, on Flickr
  
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, west Yellowstne by Paul, on Flickr
  
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, west Yellowstne by Paul, on Flickr
  
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, west Yellowstne by Paul, on Flickr
  
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, west Yellowstne by Paul, on Flickr

 

[viv1969]

I've visited Yellowstone a few times, but never this centre.
Sam looks like a handsome devil!

 

[holty]

good shots

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Sam has a very interesting face, with dull eyes.
There is a story there I'm sure.

 

[plloydie]

Sam has a very interesting face, with dull eyes.
There is a story there I'm sure.

I believe Sam was fed by people as a cub when in the wild and therefore related people to food. The alternative to captivity was euthanasia. The bears are held elsewhere before being let out into the area seen in the shots. A keeper places food under rocks in trees etc so they have to search for a meal. It's quite difficult to get a shot of the bears (there are about 10 in total ) with their heads up as they are just sniffing out their meal. I believe the centre has a high rating for the welfare of the animals by so organisation.