Habituated Bear Euthanized in San Luis Obispo

DFG News   June 29,2011




"A black bear that broke into four chicken coops on four separate nights was euthanized near a San Luis Obispo neighborhood Tuesday night.

Two landowners requested a depredation permit from the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) after several failed attempts by the San Luis Obispo Police and local residents to scare the bear away with non-lethal methods. Officers used pepper balls and rubber bullets to chase away the animal with no success.
The bear continued to frequent several residences and break into chicken coops, killing a number of chickens over the past two weeks. The bear was euthanized while attempting to break into a chicken coop Tuesday.

Numerous efforts over many years have clearly established that relocation is not an option for bears that develop behavioral patterns of killing livestock or pets. Wildlife experts have made many such attempts witnessing bears travel many miles back to the area from which they were removed and exhibit the same repeated behavior. Those bears that do not return to their prior home range often seek out human habitation and exhibit similar patterns of destructive behavior."
 
I doubt that many of us will have unwanted visitations from destructive bears. If you do, please contact the CA Department of Fish and Game or read the 'keepmewild' page on their website.
PJJ