Not one, but three bears are said to be behind the food looting in Northern California and Nevada. In total, the police have already received more than 150 reports in the region. Officers previously tried to chase ‘Hank the Tank’ away with paintball guns, sirens and tasers, but without any success. The bear is much larger than its peers and is only too happy to use that trait to its advantage. “He has learned to use his weight and strength to break into several homes,” said Peter Tira, spokesman for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Another bear from the trio smashed a window of a home on Friday and sneaked in while the residents were home. The police quickly arrived and tried to scare the animal off with loud noises, until the bear eventually left the house and retreated into the woods.
According to animal experts, the bears have become accustomed to human food and are no longer afraid of humans, but rather see them as a food source. The department will now try to capture the bears in the Lake Tahoe area in order to collect genetic material. The animals will then be released back into an “appropriate habitat”. The organization emphasizes that no bears will be euthanized.