The 500-pound black bear has damaged more than 30 properties around Lake Tahoe, and last week broke into yet another home in an endless quest for a quick meal.
Known by residents as Hank the Tank, the giant bear has eluded capture for more than seven months, according to Peter Tira, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“What’s problematic about this bear is how large it is,” Tira told SF Gate on Sunday. “It’s learned to use that size and strength to break into a number of occupied residences, bursting through the garage door or front door. It’s pretty frightening."
The bear is responsible for more than 150 incident reports in the region straddling Northern California and Nevada. A Friday break-in at a residence in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood is the latest, according to CBS Sacramento.
The bear smashed a window and squeezed into the house on Catalina Drive while the residents were at home. Police responded and banged on the outside of the house until Hank exited out the back door and disappeared into the woods.
Also known as Jake or Yogi or simply Big Guy, the bear is what Tira described as a “severely food habituated bear" that has “lost all fear of people” and thinks of them as a food source.
A homeowners association agreed during a meeting last week to allow state wildlife personnel to capture the bear. Previous trapping efforts, which are generally more successful in wooded settings, have proven futile in residential areas where the bear has become acclimated, SF Gate reported.
After the break-in Friday, officials collected DNA evidence to make an accurate match if they capture the bear. If Hank is captured, officials said the bear could be relocated to accredited facilities such as zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, Tira said.
“You relocate it to the wilderness, and they starve because they’re not used to hunting for food," Tira said.
Killing the bear is hopefully a last resort, said Joby Cefalu, a board member with the homeowners association.
“Nobody on our board took lightly the situation of depredation,” Cefalu told the Los Angeles Times. "We’re meant to coexist. Unfortunately, this is a human problem.”
Emmanuel Acho joined Cheddar News to talk about his new book "Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits." The former NFL player, current broadcaster, and host is on a mission to help people see beyond the goals that they have set for themselves. “People say 'what is being illogical?'" he said. "To me, it's believing it is so even when it's not so — so that it can be so."
Dr. Alan Kaplin, Chief Scientific Officer of MyMD, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how the MYMD-1 is on track to be the first FDA-approved drug to treat aging and age-related diseases.
Nouveau Monde Graphite says it wants to power the sustainable energy revolution. The Canadian company is developing carbon-neutral battery materials to serve the growing EV and cleantech markets and is doing so via a mining and manufacturing operation in Quebec. Eric Desaulniers, founder, president & CEO of Nouveau Monde Graphite, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
John Logan, Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, joined Cheddar News to discuss the growing unionization push by employees at Starbucks and Amazon, and the wider implications of employee organization at these big companies.
Is the housing boom coming to an end? New home sales in February fell for a second straight month as mortgage rates and house prices rise. This comes as the Fed prepares to hike interest rates more aggressively to fight inflation, potentially kicking off a cooldown in the real estate market. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist of First American, explains why new home sales isn't the full picture.
With ongoing supply chain issues and war in Ukraine, inflation is likely here to stay. This is the first time many younger people will experience consistent inflation as working adults, so this video breaks it down using candy (for fun!).
Alicia Garza joined Cheddar News to talk about the Black Futures Lab where serves as founder and principal. The non-profit organization seeks to develop grassroots power in the Black community with projects like the Black Census, which takes into account the granular experiences of the demographic. "What we know about Black folks and the reason that we decided to focus on black communities again, it's because we're being left out and left behind their stories being told about us without our input and without our shaping," she said. "If we want a robust democracy in this country, we have to change that equation." Garza also touched on issues around voter suppression and the midterm elections.
