Wildlife Activists Protest Decision to Kill Well-Known Bear Amid Safety Concerns
A 500-pound black bear, known locally in South Lake Tahoe as either Jake or Yogi, faces possible euthanization after repeated incidents of breaking into homes. Despite not hunting, the bear has adapted to scavenging from local garbage and has caused considerable property damage, affecting 38 homes and triggering over 150 emergency calls. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has deployed container-sized traps to capture and kill the bear, explaining that relocation is no longer viable. Jason Holley, a supervising biologist with the agency, noted that the issue stems from human actions, saying, “It is the point of no return for this bear, but the public needs to fix the things that brought us to this point, or it will continue.” Wildlife activists, however, are strongly opposed to the plan, sparking widespread debate over the bear’s fate.
