Hank the Tank, a 500-Pound Bear, Ransacks a California Community – The New York Times

Since the summer, a black bear known as Hank the Tank has made a 500-pound nuisance of himself in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., breaking into more than two dozen homes to rummage for food and leaving a trail of damage behind.

So far, nobody has been able to deter Hank, said Peter Tira, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Department officials and the local police have tried to haze the bear with paintballs, bean bags, sirens and Tasers, but he is too drawn to humans and their food to stay away for long.

It s easier to find leftover pizza than to go in the forest, Mr. Tira said on Sunday.

Residents have called the police about Hank more than 100 times since July as he continues to rampage through Tahoe Keys, a gated community about 190 miles northeast of San Francisco.

Now the authorities are trying to trap Hank and possibly euthanize him.

This is a bear that has lost all fear of people, Mr. Tira said. It s a potentially dangerous situation.

via www.nytimes.com

Bears and pizza — a dangerous combination.