DEEP May Be Forced to Euthanize Bear In Nearby Madison

After Bear B-1 charged a house on County Road in North Madison Tuesday, a report from the local animal control officer to the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection has prompted state wildlife officials to set a trap for the bear.

Madison 911 is warning North Madison residents to use caution. "Bear activity reported-County Road & Summer Hill. Do not approach the bear. Remove bird feeders and other attractants."

State Wildlife Biologist Paul Rego said Tuesday that the state plans to set a trap for the bear. If she is caught, the state will determine whether to engage in "adverse conditioning" with the bear, in an effort to instill a fear of humans in her. Or, if after reviewing incidents involving the bear, they determine that she is a danger, she will be euthanized, Rego said.

Rego said it appears from the video that Bear B-1 charged the house in North Madison after the homeowner tried to shoo it away. "Sometimes a bear will bluff charge when they feel threatened," he said. "This bear seemed to do more than that."

Darren Kramer, who lives on Genesee Lane, said he was charged by the bear over the weekend.

"I walked out [into my backyard], not realizing the bear was still there," he said. "She took about three quick steps in my direction, and I went scrambling back into the house.  A bluff charge, but scary."

Rich Nace, who lives on County Road, said he had an encounter with Bear B-1 Tuesday.

"I was trying to shoo it away and started filming it out my window and it actually attacked the house," he asid. "Luckily I shut the window in time. I've alerted the town and the DEP is going to trap and relocate it."

Rego said the DEEP does not relocate bears "in the classic sense."

"We are going to set a trap for the bear," he said. "Then we will have to review all of the information. We do not relocate in the classic sense. If we capture the bear--and there is no guarantee that we will--we may put it through adversive conditioning and relocate it less than ten miles away."

He said the goal would be to instill a fear of humans in Bear B-1, who has been staking out lawn parties, swimming in backyard pools, and tearing down bird feeders in North Madison. State officials think she is a yearling, meaning that she is not yet breeding, and that she has been ranging over a large section of the southern portion of the state. She was tagged in Windsor about a year and a half ago.

Adversive conditioning is "putting the bear through an unpleasant experience with the hope that she will become shy of humans," Rego said.

"Other options depend on the level of problems and type of problems," he said. "One option is to euthanize the bear."

In order to determine whether adverse conditioning or euthanizing is the better option, state wildlife officials will review the available information on the bear, he said. "We have to review the complaints," Rego said.

He said Bear B-1 was not being playful when she rushed the house, as shown in the video.

"Sometimes they will bluff charge when they feel threatened. This bear seemed to do more than that. We are going to set the trap today. There is no gaurantee that we will capture her today," he said.