Public effort to save South Lake Tahoe bear working; Colorado sanctuary may be in his future

UPDATE 2/16 5:00 p.m.: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has said they are exploring all options on the future of the large urbanized black bear. They said they looked into Colorado but it appears at this time that option is a "non-starter," according to CDFW spokesperson Peter Tira.

Colorado told CDFW that moving a wild bear to the state requires director approval from their parks and wildlife agency, which has not happened in many years. At this time they will not accept the bear, said Tira.

CDFW looked into the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) as a possible home for this bear, but that is not an option as well, said Tira. They will continue to explore all options.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The 500-lb bear in the Tahoe Keys originally scheduled to be trapped, removed, and killed appears to be getting a second chance.

The fully urbanized black bear is getting his pardon if all of the necessary permits to move him to a Colorado sanctuary are obtained in both states. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today said they are exploring all options for the bear.

"I am very pleased and proud of our Department of Wildlife," said Bryant. "He lost his freedom, and that's a shame. I'm just glad this looks like it will happen."

Bryant said the sanctuary in Colorado is the biggest in the U.S., if not the world, and has an excellent reputation. They currently have three black bears from California, the first arriving about 25 years ago. She said the bear at the forefront in the Tahoe Keys should be okay there as he's been around people and should fit in. The enclosures are huge with indoor and outdoor space.

But, Bryant also wants the public to know that this isn't the answer, and the public needs to do a better job at keeping bears out of their trash and garbage.

California sanctuaries are currently full for all wildlife, bears and mountain lions included. This can't be used as an option and it starts with human responsibility.

"We need to start focusing on the overall issue," said Brooke Laine who had contacted Governor Newsom's office on the matter.

"We don't want to do this anymore," added Bryant. "The bottom line - this bear is not the only one who has been in the Keys, there are others. He got blamed for all the work, but there will still be bear activity."

She said there was a mother bear and her two cubs who were breaking into a garage a day in the Tahoe Keys last summer, and that bear behavior will continue until trash and food management is a daily way of life for everyone, not just those in the Keys. The BEAR League will be pushing for stricter regulations such as mandatory bear box installations for trash, and requirements of no freezers or refrigerators in garages.

Bryant applauded the efforts of the people who stood up to defend the bear and to keep him from being killed. Now people don't have to try and sabotage the traps or do overnight trap sitting as they have been this week.

There is still a large amount of red tape involved between the two states to move the bear, and once the permits are received the BEAR League will pay for the transfer. Once that happens they'll take donations and if their fees are covered they'll give the balance to the Colorado sanctuary.

Since this outcome may not always be possible, the public, both residents and visitors, need to bear-harden their homes, get locking dumpsters at resorts and apartments, and remove the food and trash the bears are attracted to. For more information, visit the BEAR League's website at http://www.savebears.org/ and the CDFW dedicated bear page at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Bear.