KETCHUM, Idaho —
On Monday evening, Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) reported the death of another food-conditioned black bear in Ketchum.
Early Monday morning, IDFG and local law enforcement responded to reports of an aggressive bear in a Ketchum neighborhood. The bear was seen rooting through garbage cans, then growled and snapped at a resident.
When IDFG arrived at the incident, they found a sow black bear in a tree with two cubs. The bear was darted and sedated. After falling from the tree, IDFG said the bear died from a combination of stress and effects from the sedation and capture. However, IDFG said they had planned on euthanizing the bear once it was captured.
"Due to her aggressiveness toward people, we could not in good conscience release her and have her end up in someone else's home or camp," Magic Valley Regional Wildlife Manager Mike McDonald said.
McDonald also said that the situation is unfortunate all around, because despite repeated warnings, trash cans have repeatedly been left out overnight in the area, attracting bears and risking the public’s safety.
"Human safety is always our top concern," McDonald said. "We simply can't have these bears roaming neighborhoods and camps in search of food. The risk is too great, and the best way people can prevent these incidents is to be especially careful not to leave out things that attract bears, particularly household garbage."
The cubs were then captured and will be taken to Snowdon Wildlife Sanctuary in McCall for rehabilitation, according to IDFG. They will be raised in a special pen that keeps them separated from humans, McDonald said he hopes they can be released into the wild in late fall.
According to IDFG, the bear was located approximately a block from another incident where a black bear was digging through trash before charging a woman. While the bear is suspected to have been involved in the previous aggressive garbage raid, IDFG said it is difficult to confirm that it was the same bear.
IDFG said that while Idaho’s overall black bear population is healthy and stable, personnel want to avoid needless wildlife deaths. They encourage people to be mindful of attracting wildlife, bears and other animals, that may cause problems when they begin associating homes and people with food.
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