Post by Woody Williams on Sept 15, 2006 10:20:36 GMT -5
Big Kentucky bear put down
HARLAN, Ky. -- State wildlife officials said they captured and euthanized a 430-pound black bear that approached a person who was carrying food at an apartment complex.
The 8-year-old male bear was collared and had been captured and released at least twice previously, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources said in a statement Friday. In the other cases, the bear was raiding beehives in 2001 and raiding Kingdom Come State Park garbage cans in 2004, the statement said.
No one was injured in the Aug. 29 incident at the Harlan County apartment complex, but the bear tried to get the food the person was holding, the statement said. The person reported the incident Sept. 1, the state said.
"Officials investigated the reports and determined the bear's actions to be unacceptable and not correctable," the statement said. The state said officials found the bear was frequently taking food from open garbage containers at the complex.
On Wednesday, wildlife biologists and conservation officers darted the bear as it left an open trash container at the apartment complex, the statement said. "It was removed from the premises and humanely put down," the agency said.
"When a 430-pound bear has been taught to associate people with food, and shows little fear of humans, our management options are limited," said Steven Dobey, the agency's black bear program coordinator.
Feeding bears, even unintentionally, is illegal in Kentucky, the statement said.
www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060911/NEWS0104/609110400&SearchID=73256573453752
HARLAN, Ky. -- State wildlife officials said they captured and euthanized a 430-pound black bear that approached a person who was carrying food at an apartment complex.
The 8-year-old male bear was collared and had been captured and released at least twice previously, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources said in a statement Friday. In the other cases, the bear was raiding beehives in 2001 and raiding Kingdom Come State Park garbage cans in 2004, the statement said.
No one was injured in the Aug. 29 incident at the Harlan County apartment complex, but the bear tried to get the food the person was holding, the statement said. The person reported the incident Sept. 1, the state said.
"Officials investigated the reports and determined the bear's actions to be unacceptable and not correctable," the statement said. The state said officials found the bear was frequently taking food from open garbage containers at the complex.
On Wednesday, wildlife biologists and conservation officers darted the bear as it left an open trash container at the apartment complex, the statement said. "It was removed from the premises and humanely put down," the agency said.
"When a 430-pound bear has been taught to associate people with food, and shows little fear of humans, our management options are limited," said Steven Dobey, the agency's black bear program coordinator.
Feeding bears, even unintentionally, is illegal in Kentucky, the statement said.
www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060911/NEWS0104/609110400&SearchID=73256573453752
