Despite many wildlife authorities reminding people to let the bear roam and report it immediately, many are still acting hostile towards them. State officials are now investigating a bear encounter in Sandia Heights, while the Department of Wildlife reported a cub died while they were responding to the scene.
The New Mexico Department of Wildlife said the shooting happened on a Sunday afternoon in a backyard. The investigation is ongoing, while potential charges have not yet been evaluated.
The man who shot the bear said his family has become increasingly concerned over the bear’s brazenness since they found a mauled baby deer outside of his child’s window.
The bears were in his backyard, and he went outside with his gun as a precaution. Then, when he approached the trees, the mother bear was growling at the base and struck his dog, which triggered his warning shot.
The Suspect’s Hostility Made Neighbors React
The suspect’s neighbor, Dina Hannah, saw the shooting from her backyard.
At first, Dina was shocked and wondered where he would use it. Then, she saw him aiming the rifle at the bear, who was in a tree grove and shot. That’s when she screamed.
After the shooting, she and her other family members confronted him. She believes that wildlife is part of living in the neighborhood, and if they don’t want it, they should go to another neighborhood.
Another neighbor, Grace Jandt, said the bears have been taking advantage of the area’s food sources. There are lots of cherry trees in her backyard, and when they are out of town, the bears eat all the cherries and all the fish in their pond too.
The neighbors say the mother bear and her two cubs have been in the area for months.
A Cub Died During The Rescue
The mother bear survived the shot; however, one of the cubs died while wildlife officers tried to remove them from the property.
They successfully tranquilized the cub, but it became entangled in branches and died despite wildlife officers’ efforts to save it.
The Department of Wildlife moved the mother and surviving cub to a more suitable habitat.
There are various encounters with bears these days and authorities keep advising everyone to let them be and report them if you see them on your premises.
