Grizzly bears killed on railroad tracks as deaths mount

Two grizzly bear cubs have been killed on railroad tracks in northwestern Montana, driving the number of bear deaths toward last year’s record level for the region.

State wildlife officials say the two cubs, one female and the other of unknown sex, were found along the tracks southeast of Trego. That’s about 30 miles south of the Canadian border.

A record 46 grizzly bears died in 2018 in a region that includes Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness and surrounding areas. The region is home to more than 1,000 bears.

The 44 grizzlies killed to date in 2019 include eight hit by trains.

Grizzlies are protected as a threatened species across the Lower 48 states. They are subject to hunting in Alaska and portions of Canada.

AP Only 2019