Garbage browsing bruin relocated

State biologists tranquilized and relocated a black bear on Tuesday night that was caught going through trash in the Mendenhall Valley.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Ryan Scott says they were already in the neighborhood talking to residents about garbage, food, and bear activity.

He says they observed the bear getting into an abandoned van in the vicinity of Valley Boulevard. The vehicle evidently was being used to store household garbage.

“That particular bear started going house-to-house knocking over garbage cans in the Valley Boulevard-Granite Drive area,” said Scott.

He says there was a difference between this bear and the bear that was put down after it was tranquilized and captured last week in the downtown area.

“The one last week, we had captured it and moved it, and two months later it was back at the same spot,” said Scott.

Tuesday’s bear, a female about 300-pounds, had been studied, collared and tagged, and even relocated six-years ago.

“She wasn’t known to us in the area, causing concern or issues, for several years,” said Scott.

The bear was darted Tuesday night and relocated to an undisclosed location in Juneau.

He says they were still trying to work out arrangements with the Juneau Police Department for removal of the van and the trash.

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