When a black bear lumbered into Cache Valley last week, Utah wildlife officials were left with what they consider “the worst part of our jobs.”
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spokesperson Crystal Ross said biologists had received a report of a black bear near the south end of the valley in Paradise on Aug. 13, but were unable to find it. The next day, they received another black bear report, this time in Logan. The biologists, Ross said, believe people were reporting the same bear.
When they caught the animal, she said, it had a temperature of almost 107 degrees and was in “severe physical distress.”
Other than overheating and showing signs of distress, Ross said the bear appeared to be OK, though it exhibited unusual behavior by venturing so close to humans.
“There could have been some underlying issues going on that we could not see,” she said.
After spending days walking around populated areas, the predator had also lost its natural fear of people, Ross added.
DWR spokesperson Faith Jolley said officials euthanized the bear on Aug. 15.
“The decision to euthanize the bear was made strictly following DWR policy, which must weigh both human safety and the animal’s welfare,” Ross said. “Euthanizing wildlife is the worst part of our jobs. Our staff got into the wildlife profession because they love wildlife and want to help it and see it thrive.”
She added that finding places to relocate bears where the animals won’t starve or find humans has become a challenge due to a lack of natural food, urban development and the growing popularity of Utah’s wilderness.
This year, as the state’s drought diminishes the plants that bears typically eat, DWR biologists think the animals are looking for other food. This, according to Ross, has led to more instances of black bears — the only kind of bear in Utah — rummaging through people’s garbage or campsites.
To help black bears, Ross said, people can keep a clean camp and yard, bear-proof their food, and not leave trash cans out if they live in canyons or foothills.
