HikeArizona.COM

Eight Foraging Bears Killed In Tahoe


Posted: 9:44 am PDT June 11, 2010
Updated: 10:02 am PDT June 11, 2010

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. -- The heavy snow and lingering winter conditions in the Sierra are forcing black bears into the valleys around Lake Tahoe, where an unusually large number of them have had to be put to death in recent weeks.

Nevada Department of Wildlife biologist Carl Lackey says officials already killed eight bears this spring, compared with a typical death toll of just one or two by this time.

"I attribute that to the late winter weather conditions," he said.

Unlocked food or trash lures the bears into trouble in cars and homes. Adding to the problem, Lackey said, is Washoe County has no ordinance requiring bear-proof trash receptacles.

Hot spots are centered near South Lake Tahoe, Tahoma and Highway 89 near the Squaw Valley and Alpine ski resorts.

Cristen Langner, a wildlife biologist for California Fish and Game, said the California side of the Tahoe basin has had three permitted bear deaths this year, which is not uncommon for this time. Each of the deaths was also a result of residents not locking up food trash or food, she said.

Langner echoed Lackey's words of caution and said residents should always be bear-aware and keep doors locked and food secure.

"The big thing is that every time these bears are successful (finding stored trash or food) it just reinforces that behavior," she said.

Ann Bryant, president of the Homewood-based BEAR League, said she's concerned about the death toll.

"I'm pretty shocked because it's only going to get worse as the season goes on," she said.

Bryant said based on calls, sightings and onsite observations, the BEAR League has observed more newborns this year than any other, as well as an increased number of sightings and conflicts.

Usually bears aren't spotted out of hibernation until May or June, Bryant said, but she's seen them as early as March and April this year.

I doubt the bear would have much problem getting over the canal, perhaps no problem at all.

azbackpackr wrote: “About the time the bear got up to him the guy ran out of cookies,” Lackey said. “The bear swatted him.”

Speaking on behalf of bears everywhere, the moral of this story is obvious. You best not run out of cookies. 'Nuf said.

@AZ Wandering Bear As long as there is food, you don't become food ...

This is one brown black bear!

https://amp.twimg.com/v/c31084c4-b89e-4 ... fb4c9d0232

@neilends
Black bears can be even lighter than that. Cinnamon is a common color for the species. If you look at HAZ photos you'll see some lighter colors well represented.

Captured this morning.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/loc ... /20891131/

Amy Burnett, a Game and Fish Department spokeswoman confirmed the aloof bear was captured and tranquilized early Thursday morning near a residential area east of the Loop 202 interchange with U.S. 60.

The male, 2 to 3-year-old bear would be evaluated for health by a wildlife specialist with Game and Fish to determine whether the bear would be released into the Tonto National Forest or remain in the department's care at one of its rehabilitation facilities for the remainder of the winter, Burnett said.

No confirmation of reports the bear will be named Rudolph.

chumley wrote:No confirmation of reports the bear will be named Rudolph.

How about Wandering Bear? Oops that one has already been taken. ;)
Are they going to put a GPS collar and GoPro on him so we can see his next excursion?

Was caught 2 miles from my house! On Tuesday it ran through our parking lot at work at Pecos and Ellsworth! Scared the hell out of my bosses wife who had showed up early.

Poor guy! It must have been a rotten day. They'll probably give him some aversion therapy, too.

I agree that the bear needed to be removed from developed areas, if only for its own safety. That bear looks pretty healthy from the overhead view, and hopefully he hasn't fattened up on people food.
Unfortunately a bear can't survive for long in close proximity to urbanized areas, especially in the desert. Just imagine the potential problems if that bear hung around until summer surviving on crops, dog food, trash and bird bath water.

In October a mountain lion was caught in downtown Mountain View, and relocated back to the Santa Cruz Mountains. It was collared, and evidently spent 8+ hours hiding behind a hedge in front of an apartment building. Unfortunately this guy was killed while trying to cross I-280 in Redwood City in October http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Mo ... 12791.html (see attached map). I wonder if this cat, or the Mesa bear, would've eventually wandered back to more suitable territory and become crafty beasts that could skillfully exist in the urban-wildland interface.

kingsnake wrote:@AZ Wandering Bear As long as there is food, you don't become food ...

Very true, so long as you don't run out of food before the bear runs out of appetite. LOL

And I gotta tell you those dang tranquilizer darts hurt. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Damn confusing too when you wake up a long ways from home. And don't ask me how I know.

There was some bizarre bear news today in the state park a couple miles from my house. A deer hunter stepped on a bear that was denned up in the void left by the roots of a blow-down. The bear awoke and bit him on the leg in self defense, in the course of which she rolled over and crushed both her cubs. The hunter shot and wounded the bear (also in self defense), which was later euthanized. I guess it's not too unusual for a hunter's attention to be focused mainly in the distance, but it pays to watch your step.

@big_load

big_load wrote:There was some bizarre bear news today in the state park a couple miles from my house. A deer hunter stepped on a bear that was denned up in the void left by the roots of a blow-down. The bear awoke and bit him on the leg in self defense, in the course of which she rolled over and crushed both her cubs. The hunter shot and wounded the bear (also in self defense), which was later euthanized. I guess it's not too unusual for a hunter's attention to be focused mainly in the distance, but it pays to watch your step.

It turns out that there was a small (two pound) inaccuracy in this report. The two cubs (one pound each at the time) actually survived. They are being cared for at the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge and now weigh 1.3 pounds each. The picture in the paper shows them in the palms of gloved hands. Their paws are almost as big as their heads.

EDIT: The cubs were estimated to be one week old when the incident happened.

One of the cubs died over the weekend, probably the one they said wasn't feeding well. They said the remaining cub would be released in about a month by placing with a wild mother and seeing if she takes it. I don't know how likely that is to work, but it's funny to think of them wandering around the woods, looking for bears to wake up.

big_load wrote:wandering around the woods, looking for bears to wake up

Like gummo with snakes, I think they have a pretty good idea where to look to be successful.

I'm sure they just slip the tiny cub under the blankets next to a slumbering mom and hope for the best when she wakes up!

@chumley

I'm sure they just slip the tiny cub under the blankets next to a slumbering mom and hope for the best

Doesn't work, I tried that with my first kid and a homeless guy sleeping down town, lets just say the results were mixed

73-year old Sacramento man punched a bear in the face when it approached his little Paris Hilton dog.

Hit him so hard "almost corkscrewed his head"..Best not to mess with Karl

I heard a story from a Canadian neighbor. He and his brother were camping. His brother was a pitcher on a local baseball team. A young bear got wind of their picnic basket and came running straight toward their table at a full gallop. This guy's brother picked up a rock and put a fastball into the middle of the bear's forehead. The bear turned tail and ran.