South Lake Tahoe bear "Hank the Tank" gaining world-wide attention

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The 500-lb black bear known for breaking into Tahoe Keys homes is gaining worldwide attention after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) positioned traps in the neighborhood to try and catch him. The estimated 10-year-old is known as Hank the Tank and Jake, depending on who you talk to, but after a social media post by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) the name "Hank The Tank" is now trending around the globe and gaining notoriety through hundreds of newspaper articles, television news programs, and social media posts.

South Tahoe Now carried the first story about the peril of Hank the Tank on February 10, 2022. Humans have created a problem for black bears in the Lake Tahoe Basin with a smorgasbord of trash and food scraps for their taking without much effort. Cubs are taught how to open car doors and trash cans, and how to take advantage of unlocked sources of food. Twenty-thousand calories are easier to get from trash and garages than it is in the wild, and the urbanized bears in Lake Tahoe know this.

Hank the Tank knows all of the tricks, and as recently as this past weekend broke into a home through a small locked window in the Tahoe Keys. They hazed him (make loud noises, make the bear's current choice unbearable so they'll leave) and he left.

"When combining CDFW data with information from local police agencies, CDFW has 152 reports of conflict behavior from this animal," the agency said Thursday. Hank the Tank is readily identifiable due to his exceptionally large size and a dark coat with a lighter muzzle - and CDFW said they have his DNA on file from previous break-ins.

CDFW said on Thursday, February 17 the traps placed in the Tahoe Keys represent official state business to capture a specific and “severely food-habituated bear” defined as a conflict bear under its 2022 Black Bear Policy in California. Food-habituated means that the animal has lost its fear of people and is associating people with access to food.

Hank the Tank is big, bigger than bears who live in the wild should be. His size and the current situation are caused by humans.

For years the messaging has been clear, "Don't Feed the Bears." Yet, people are feeding them intentionally and unintentionally, and education and behavior changes of humans are necessary now, or the trapping and killing of bears will continue.

The fatal step is always the last resolution. The public responded when the bear traps were found in front of a Tahoe Keys home. The traps have been moved around since that time but are still ready to be used.

"CDFW is currently evaluating the possibility of placement of this bear when captured. As detailed in our recently updated Black Bear Policy in California, there are several requirements that must be met to consider placement of a wild adult black bear," the agency posted in its blog Thursday.

Ann Bryant of the BEAR League says she has been in touch with a sanctuary in Colorado that would welcome Hank the Tank, but federal and state permits would have to be obtained and that is very hard to accomplish.

Bryant said Sunday her group is still trying to get the bear placed as he clearly can no longer be allowed to stay free. She has received calls from as far away as Australia and Europe about Hank and has been interviewed by the LA Times and many other news outlets. She is now referring them to CDFW so the agency has time to "come up with a plan."

As of Thursday, CDFW said it has not identified a placement option for this bear that meets the criteria of the Black Bear Policy. They also said, "placement of adult black bears can have significant negative consequences on their mental health and must be considered when evaluating placement options."

Hank the Tank has brought forward responsible food and trash behaviors by humans, and this is in all areas of Lake Tahoe, not just the Tahoe Keys.

While it is too late for Hank the Tank to learn better behavior, the completely urbanized bear should be a lesson for all to not create the next Hanks.

Sows will only give birth to as many cubs as nature dictates - limited food supply will see single births, unlimited food and there will be two or three cubs born to the mother bear. Control the trash and garbage supplies, nature will take care of the future population. Yosemite has an estimated 300-500 black bears with an average of one bear for every 2.3 square miles. The low estimate for South Lake Tahoe is two bears per one square mile.

CDFW and the BEAR League both carry valuable information for homeowners, residents, resorts, management at apartment buildings, and visitors. Bears don't care who is responsible for giving them their meals, and there is no one group completely at fault.

"The outcome for this food-habituated bear could have been avoided with a few simple actions. Bears are primarily scent-driven when seeking food. As such, we ask again that everyone remain vigilant and act responsibly by properly storing food and garbage while living in – or visiting – bear habitat. For tips and best practices to keep Tahoe’s bears from becoming accustomed and dependent on human food sources, visit Keep Tahoe Bears Wild. Additional information and resources are available at CDFW’s Keep Me Wild: Black Bear web page," the agency posted.

Information is also available on the BEAR League website http://www.savebears.org/. There one will find tips on keeping bears out of homes, cars, and how to live responsibly with them.

The real crime here is if trash and garbage habits do not change. It is everyone's responsibility to keep bears wild or there will be more Hank the Tanks if humans don't follow these tips:

Do not feed bears or other wild animals
Dispose of garbage properly
Use bear-resistant garbage cans
Do not put out trash the night before pick-up days, never place earlier than the morning it is collected
Close windows and lock your home
Keep bears away from neighborhoods
Never approach bears or cubs
Prevent vehicle break-ins
Keep a clean campsite and use bear lockers if camping
If using a dumpster, make sure it is closed and locked at ALL time

The BEAR League's home bear-proofing tips:
- Never Feed the Bears! Not Ever! Report any neighbors or visitors who are doing so to the BEAR League.
- Make birdfeeders inaccessible to bears or take them down.
- Do not leave accessible windows or doors open. Screens are not bear-proof.
- Be sure your doors are solid wood or metal and install and use heavy deadbolts.
- Consider electrifying your home, especially if you are part-time. This is the most effective defense against Bear break-ins. Call them for recommended techs - 530-525-PAWS (7297).
- Replace single-pane windows with double panes.
- If your house is not permanently occupied (if is a vacation home) it is highly recommended that all food be removed between visits or rentals and while the house is unoccupied. Bears smell spices, teas, and other food through the walls and normal bear instinct dictates that they use their claws, teeth and incredible strength to get at it.
- Securely block access to under-house crawl spaces before they go in to hibernate.
- Leave lights and radio or TV on when not at home.
- Do not use DeCon. It attracts bears.
- Don’t leave any garbage near the house.
- Don’t leave pet food outside and don’t feed pets outside.
- Don’t leave food in cars. Roll up windows and lock doors.
- Don’t talk nicely to bears who come near your house. Make them think you will harm them. Be aggressive with them.
- Use a paintball gun to scare a bear if he comes into your yard.
- Yell or blow a boat horn to let the bear know he’s unwelcome in your yard. When he turns to run throw a rock at him.
- Be dominant, not submissive, if a bear comes onto your property.
- Don’t stand there and take photos. You are telling the Bear it's ok for him to stay by this action.
Respect wildlife and keep your distance