In South Lake Tahoe, a five-year-old black bear dubbed Hope has earned her reputation as a “conflict bear” – making the chances of her being killed by an official from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife a distinct possibility.
The female bear is known to the government as “Sow #753,” while bear activists and their hundreds of thousands of social media followers call her “Hope.”
Wildlife advocates in the area are fighting to stop CDFW from killing Hope, which they say will not stop break-ins but would leave her cub, Bounce, an orphan; paving the way for other hungry bears more likely to meet the same fate. There is no doubt killing Hope will not stop bear break-ins, but how many bears will have to die because humans seem to be just as much to blame for leaving out food and making it much too easy for opportunists bears to sneak in an open window or break into a car filled with food enroute to camping sites and vacation homes.
Two weeks ago, the staff arrived on a Monday morning allegedly to have found Hope and Bounce inside, stoking fears the bears could pose threats to people in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood.
“The Bear League, however provided the following video with footage of the bear who actually entered the school. As you can see, it was a darker male bear with no tag and no cub. He entered in the middle of the night through a window accidentally left open, endangering no one. The school is located far from the areas that Hope and Bounce frequent, and we remain troubled that these two continue to be blamed for the actions of other opportunistic bears.”
The BEAR League is a nonprofit organization in the Lake Tahoe area committed to keeping bears safe and wild in their natural habitat.
But all is not completely accurate when it comes to identifying which bear is doing the break-ins and which bears could lead to more bears being killed because humans are being sloppy and making it too easy for bears. They do their “urban foraging” which consists of rummaging through cabins and more recently a preschool as they search for food.
So we all knows that bears are opportunists, and for Hope and her cub dubbed Bounce, the two have been tied to break-ins they haven’t been involved in, thus making these situations more common in the Tahoe area, creating a danger to the bears too.
Officials with the CDFW have stated Hope is teaching her cub to break into homes. And when the title of “conflict bear,” has been designated that means she could be subject to long-term captivity, relocation or death if she comes in contact with staff.
Advocates want the CDFW to focus on teaching humans how to prevent bears from becoming accustomed to taking the easy way to forage for food and rather head them back to the forests where they ultimately belong.
We need them to help us tell people that if you don’t want bears in your building, in your home or in your preschool or in your church or wherever, close and lock the windows and doors.
The latest update confirms the CDFW has approved the lethal removal of Hope, “citing public safety concerns stemming from numerous residential break-ins. Her cub will then be captured and brought to a wildlife rehabilitation facility”.
The Bear League has offered an alternative to relocate Hope and her cub and to pay all expenses involved:
the BEAR League has offered to financially cover all expenses to relocate them to safety; California Department of Fish and Wildlife has rejected this lifesaving offer, remaining steadfast in their plan to trap and euthanize the mama here in South Lake Tahoe.
Local residents and the BEAR League continue to protest. Volunteers protesting Hope losing her life have been diligently keeping watch; some advocates even sleeping in the forest, and whenever she’s sighted, they scurry her away from local neighborhoods.
Meanwhile however, there’s the message NOT to kill Hope.
We think it’s deplorable and there are other options.
Close and lock your doors and windows. That’s not a sure thing but it will resolve most incursions.
Please anyone with a bear emergency in this area, reach out to the BEAR organization.
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