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BILLINGS- Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials euthanized a 2 1/2-year-old grizzly bear last week, after the bear was caught killing livestock on several occasions.

The grizzly was captured in a culvert trap Friday morning, a day after a dead calf was discovered near a county road northeast of Red Lodge.

This was the second time the bear had been captured for livestock depredations in less than a year. The first time they caught it in 2011, officials relocated the bear to the Gallatin National Forest.

But after the bear returned and killed a calf, parks officials determined relocation would not be successful and ordered that bear be euthanized at the state wildlife lab in Bozeman.

FWP scientists said the bear was well out of range for grizzlies. They cite an increase in large predators as part of the reason grizzlies are increasing the range of their habitats.