SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A 500-pound black bear nicknamed “Hank the Tank” who had been damaging properties in Lake Tahoe has been discovered to actually be three bears.
In a news release, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said DNA from the sites of the incidents where “Hank” was thought to have invaded homes was found to prove there are at least three bears responsible for the break-ins. Because there are now multiple bears believed to be breaking into homes, the department said it will work to trap and tag bears and then release them, as they work to determine which bears may be the culprits. In the news release, the department said they would not euthanize any bears that are trapped during the effort.
“Hank the Tank” was blamed for damaging more than 30 properties over the course of more than 150 incidents from Northern California to Nevada, including several break-ins to a Tahoe Keys neighborhood, as we previously reported.
In addition to “Hank the Tank,” the then-believed-to-be-solo bear was also nicknamed “Jake,” “Yogi” and “Big Guy” and was described by wildlife officials as a bear who had become so used to food that he had lost all fear of people, The Associated Press reported.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it is reaching out to local governments and homeowners associations to help residents “bear-proof” their homes. The department is also asking for access to private properties to place the bear traps so that they are as effective as possible, CNN reported.
