Washington – Wildlife officials in Washington state have been struggling to find and capture an “unnaturally large” black bear who is wearing a non-functioning GPS tracking collar that failed to fall off when it was supposed to.
Because of the bear’s size, and the existence of a collar that did not come off as planned, officials are concerned that the collar might be too tight around the bear’s neck. The bear has been spotted in the Issaquah area, and officials have set baited culvert traps in an attempt to capture him, but thus far the quest to catch him has proven to be fruitless.
Wildlife officials hope to find the bear not only for his own well-being but also because he has been a bit too comfortable around homes in the Issaquah area. In an email, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Chase Gunnell explained:
‘This bear has been repeatedly getting into garbage and other human-caused attractants and has become quite portly faster than it would feeding on natural food sources,. The bear’s feeding behavior and use of suburban areas also presents a potential for human-bear conflict.”
Anyone who spots a bear, in the Cougar or Squak Mountain area, is asked to contact WDFW at 360-902-2936 or enforcement-web@dfw.wa.gov.
Wondering, can’t anyone of animal control shoot that bear with sleep for temporary so the Ranger will be able to take the collar off the bear’s neck? No? Please call wildlife animal controller & tell the controller where the wildlife bear is as soon as possible.Thanks
And then release him back in the Wild.
That’s the exactly the right thing to do.
leave him alone
They need to get him so they can get the collar of so it doesn’t get tighter and tighter and cause problems for him, then release him back in to the Wild.
Seems wildlife officials don’t really want to catch this bear. Their first excuse was his collar might be to tight. Now they are claiming he’s too close to people and eating garbage.
80 to 1 they shoot and kill this bear.
I hope they do not shoot him,he is magnificant just leave him to the wild after removing collar.
People need to start being more responsible about their trash; if they are not they have no reason to complain about bears eating it. Now the bear is getting fat and that collar is getting tighter. Such an unnatural world out species has created.
Pray save bear keep alive need go free fine someone take care bear