Belinda J. Arvidson, Food Storage, Wyoming 2021

Belinda J. Arvidson, 50, of Idaho, has been ordered to pay $5,826.99 in restitution for improperly storing food in her campsite at Grand Teton National Park, a misdemeanor offense.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray, Arvidson was sentenced to four years of unsupervised release on July 20, 2021, by United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming.

While camping in the park, Arvidson failed to properly store garbage and beverages, resulting in a grizzly bear receiving a food reward when it found the unattended garbage and drink at her campsite.

Individuals camping in the area took photos and videos of the grizzly bear while it was in Arvidson’s campsite rummaging through the trash and other food items.

The campground contained multiple warning signs about bears and proper food storage as well as bear boxes in which food and other items could be stored.

Due to the bear receiving a food reward, upon locating the bear, it was tranquilized, collared, and relocated by boat to another area of the park.

The amount of restitution to be paid by Arvidson covers the National Park Service’s costs for this operation, including the cost of a GPS collar now necessary to track the bear’s movement.

Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins stated, “Irresponsible behaviors have consequences, and many times it is the wildlife that pays the ultimate price. We all have responsibilities to preserve and protect the incredible wild animals of Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.”

Grizzly bears and black bears thrive in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Odors attract bears into parking lots, campgrounds, and picnic areas.

All food and items with a smell must be stored in a bear-resistant food storage locker or in a hard-sided vehicle with the doors locked and windows closed day and night. Never store food, garbage, or toiletries in tents.

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