California officials say 500-pound bear that broke into 38 homes must be killed

Bear League, an advocacy group, told the outlet that euthanizing the bear is unnecessary and cruel.

Asha C. Gilbert, USA TODAY
Thu, February 17, 2022, 

A search has started for a 500-pound bear in California after it broke into homes, but an advocacy group doesn't want the animal to be killed.

CBS 13 reports the bear has broken into 38 homes in South Lake Tahoe, resulting in more than 150 calls to police. And now the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says there is only one option to resolve the issue: Killing the bear.

Bear League, an advocacy group, told the outlet that euthanizing the bear is unnecessary and cruel.

“He’s always lived his life in that area,” Ann Bryant, executive director of the Bear League, told CBS 13. “We don’t want anybody to get hurt. Nobody wants that. We don’t want the bear to die either.”

As word spread about the plans to have the bear killed, some residents disagreed with Fish and Wildlife's stance and sided with the Bear League.

"They do not want the bear to pay the price for human ignorance. So when a bear is set to die in their community, people take a stand,” Bryant said.

Attempts to trap the bear have failed so far. The Bear League hopes to have the animal relocated to a sanctuary in Colorado.

"The Bear League reached out to the director of an excellent out-of-state wildlife sanctuary, who agreed he has room and would be very willing to give this bear a permanent home," Bryant told KCRA.

According to KCRA, the Department of Wildlife isn't sure that plan will work because black bears can't be imported into Colorado without permits and approval from the state's parks and wildlife agency.

Until the bear is captured, the department wants anyone who spots the animal to call law enforcement or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.