On August 5th the Sierra Sun reported that “this black bear was killed by the Nevada Department of Wildlife.” The photo does not reveal any threat from the bear, but apparently it had been involved in at least three incidents of property damage and trying to break into homes. The article did not say if this bear had cubs. So far this year three bears have been euthanized by the Nevada Department of Wildlife for similar reasons. In their search for food the bears have learned that the human neighborhood is a good place to find it. All human foods are attractive to bears, and a bear seeking human foods is certain to come into conflict sooner or later with people. They travel in a familiar area and have “no fear of humans.” In that case, they are said to be habituated and can be a serious danger.
Prior to being euthanized, this bear “was enticed by a trap set near an unsecured trash bin.” It seems unreasonable to trick the bear into a violation. We must remind ourselves that we are the ones that moved into bear country, and we continue to occupy more and more land. It is our responsibility to secure our garbage containers and barbecue grills, and eliminate other attractants such as pet and bird food; and please do not feed the bears. Until we accept that responsibility, more and more bears will be put down for doing what comes naturally and doing it within what was formerly their territory. For the complete story, check out the Sierra Sun website.
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