Bear shot in Pablo

PABLO — Tribal Fish and Game officials were forced to shoot a black bear last Friday afternoon after it wandered into the playground area at Pablo Elementary.

Officer Mike McElderry with Tribal Fish and Game responded to the black bear call and then attempted to locate a certified biologist who could tranquilize the bear.

"The federal drug laws are so strict that we have to have a certified biologist to tranquilize animals," said Frank Gillin, Program Manager for Tribal Fish and Game.

McElderry attempted to chase the bear out of the playground but the bear was not cooperating. During the process of trying to free the animal from the fenced-in playground area, the bear climbed up a tree.

Fish and Game is able to trap and relocate animals but Gillin explained that trapping a bear is very difficult and they could not have an officer stationed at the school waiting to see if the bear would enter the trap.

"We can set traps but it does not mean a bear will go in them. We set them lots of times and don't catch anything," Gillin said.

After determining it would not be feasible to trap the animal and being unable to locate a certified biologist to tranquilize the bear, officials decided the 150 pound bear would have to be destroyed to prevent any public danger. The bear was shot and killed by McElderry with a shotgun and removed from the school yard.

"We didn't have the option to keep an officer there to keep public safety while waiting to trap it. We try to do the best we can and are never happy when we have to destroy a healthy animal," Gillin said.

The populated location was the major problem, according to Gillin. The bear attracted a lot of onlookers, some of whom offered advice on what to do with it, but Gillin said officers made the right choice in destroying the animal.

"We are the last line of defense between wild animals and the general public," said Gillin.

The option of killing the animal may not be one that everyone in the general public agrees with, but one that had to be made, he said.

"If we don't take some action to solve the problem then maybe a citizen would, which is dangerous. Most of our bear problems are not the bears, they are people problems," Gillin said.

Gillin said that bears are driven by food and the desire to eat. When people leave food, trash or anything that smells it creates a scenario that could attract bears.

Bears and other wild animals often make their way into the valley and neighborhoods. During the spring season there is a rise in animal encounters, but Gillin said it's a year-round problem.

"It's not unusual that we have to destroy a bear," Gillin said.

Gillin suggest that the public be wise about food and trash. He also stated that it is against state law to feed bears.