The endangered Louisiana black bear brought three partners together on Saturday, October 2, 2004, at Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge. Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge personnel have been working with Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and the Mississippi Black Bear Restoration Task force to capture black bears on the refuge. Several bears had been seen on Yazoo NWR in the past month, including a female bear with a cub. There were also several sightings of a medium-sized bear, possibly a male, and one potential sighting of a large male. Although male bears frequently wander through the refuge, a female bear is the key to having a permanent population.

On October 2, 2004 Brad Young, State Bear Biologist with Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks successfully captured and collared a young male Louisiana black bear on Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge. The bear was caught in a culvert trap specially designed to trap bears, and was tranquilized before it was removed from the trap.

The bear was fitted with a radio collar so that its movements can be tracked over the next several months, and ear tags were attached for future identification in the field. Refuge personnel and several volunteers assisted with the procedure, and local veterinarian, Dr. Nancy Coleman, measured vital signs and assisted with post-capture blood analysis.