Bear Seeking Human Food Put Down in Oregon

In June of 2019, a young black bear in Oregon had to be put down after becoming too comfortable with people who frequently fed and took selfies with it. According to CNN, wildlife officials “found the animal surrounded by a pile of trail mix and sunflower seeds that appeared to have been left behind intentionally by some passersby. The police concluded the bear had grown too habituated to human interaction, and could pose a threat to people’s safety, so they made the difficult decision to shoot and kill it.”

The 100-lb bear was between 2 and 3 years old and could’ve been relocated if it hadn’t grown so accustomed to human contact.”Rick Swart, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

This bear learned to associate humans with food, exposing it to this dangerous and ultimately deadly situation. With the right Leave No Trace skills, like methods to store food and respect wildlife, this bear would still be alive.

Let’s give wildlife their best chance at survival. Make a $10 tax-deductible donation to Leave No Trace today to fuel education that helps save wild animals by teaching people the critical skills and techniques needed to respect them.

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Thank you,
Susy Alkaitis
Leave No Trace Deputy Director

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