This is a heartbreaking story. A friendly one-hundred-pound bear had to be shot and killed because he had become too familiar with human interaction.
The bear had grown too familiar with the people who took selfies with it and left it food. Wildlife officials said they were left with no choice but to euthanize the bear, who was about 2 to 3 years old. They had been receiving calls since the beginning of June about the bear. He was usually spotted hanging out at a boat ramp at an Oregon park. Fox6 Now reports:
On Thursday, they (police) found the animal surrounded by a pile of trail mix and sunflower seeds that appeared to have been left behind intentionally by some passersby. The police concluded the bear had grown too habituated to human interaction and could pose a threat to people’s safety, so they made the difficult decision to shoot and kill it.
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After finding selfies taken with the bear, police took to Twitter to warn park visitors to avoid the bear. Infuriatingly, they did not listen. The bear could have been moved if it had not become so used to human contact, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Wildlife biologist Kurte Licence said it is best to let bears fend for themselves (this is called common sense), and not get too close to them. He added:
Not only is feeding a wild animal (not to mention taking a close up photo with one) dangerous for humans, but animals are threatened by close contact, too: “Junk food” can sicken bears, who can sniff out trash left in parks if it’s not properly disposed of. If they habitually return to park areas where humans leave food, the bears are often euthanized out of caution.
“This is a classic example of why we implore members of the public not to feed bears. While the individuals who put food out for this bear may have had good intentions, bears should never, ever be fed.”
In Oregon is against the law to intentionally leave food or garbage for a wild animal. Officials advise residents living near bear-prone areas to dispose of waste in bear-proof garbage cans, and do not go near or try to pick up a young bear cub. You can bet its mother is nearby and will stop at nothing to protect her baby.
