yeah right mr cell ?,,,,,snapper!!!!!!!! ?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ><)))):>
><)))):>
Back yard critters
- Thread starter cany
- Start date
><)))):>
Awesome
On Wednesday's snowshoe trek had some interesting animal tracks, porcupine and fellow colleague, the snowshoe hare.
I've seen and "removed" many of the pine pigs, but have only seen those secretive hares a couple of times. Regrettably, that's only occurred in the summer so I've yet to see them in their white, winter camo. Some day I guess!!
Also noticed that some of my woodland friends had started to use my snowshoe trails as a highway including the local fox and the hare.
Didn't pull out the phone to photograph as the lighting was poor for taking pictures in snow, but here's what they look like:
Snowshoe hare:
The distinctive "bulldozering" of the porcupine in deep snow:
I've seen and "removed" many of the pine pigs, but have only seen those secretive hares a couple of times. Regrettably, that's only occurred in the summer so I've yet to see them in their white, winter camo. Some day I guess!!
Also noticed that some of my woodland friends had started to use my snowshoe trails as a highway including the local fox and the hare.
Didn't pull out the phone to photograph as the lighting was poor for taking pictures in snow, but here's what they look like:
Snowshoe hare:
The distinctive "bulldozering" of the porcupine in deep snow:
Yes, I saw the tracks leading up to a brush pile and stood quietly looking for a while, but no joy...
Gee, I thought @Old Mud was the longest living land animal...
pressherald.com/2022/02/05/the-worlds-oldest-living-land-animal-at-age-190-its-jonathan-the-tortoise/
By Cathy Free February 5, 2022
Jonathan the tortoise has lived on one of the most remote islands in the world for 140 years. He has become somewhat of a media star recently, as he just got a lofty distinction: the oldest living land animal in the world.
Jonathan is turning 190 this year. Well, that’s the best guess about the age of the 440-pound chelonian.
“To be honest, I suspect he’s older, but we can never know,” said Joe Hollins, the veterinarian who cares for Jonathan on St. Helena island, a tiny volcanic British territory more than a thousand miles off the coast of Africa.
Jonathan has spent most of his life wandering (albeit slowly) with three other land tortoises around the grounds of the St. Helena governor’s residence, Plantation House.
Jonathan is estimated to have hatched in 1832, according to a letter that mentions he arrived “fully grown” on St. Helena in 1882 from the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean, he said. “Fully grown” in turtle context meant at least 50 years, Hollins said.
A photo taken between 1882 and 1886 shows Jonathan grazing at Plantation House, where he’d been presented to the governor of St. Helena as a gift, according to Hollins.
“It was quite traditional for (tortoises) to be used as diplomatic gifts around the world, if they weren’t eaten first,” he said, noting that they were harvested by ship crews because they were stackable and didn’t need food or water for days.
“Apparently, they were utterly delicious,” he said.
In addition to Jonathan, Hollins cares for the other tortoises that live on the 10-mile-long island. He also leads a team in looking after the island’s cats, dogs, cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and pigs.
This photo taken in the late 1800s shows Jonathan, left, with another tortoise, now deceased. Courtesy of Joe Hollins
But Jonathan, as the senior gentleman in the group, is special, he said.
“I take great delight in looking after him,” said Hollins, noting that at age 64 he is 126 years younger than the rare Seychelles giant tortoise he has tended to for the past 13 years.
“It’s a huge responsibility, but an honor and a privilege for a vet to see to the needs of the oldest known living land animal in the world,” he said.
There are likely sharks in the ocean older than Jonathan, said Hollins, but he hasn’t heard of another well-documented land creature that has been alive for more historical events.
Hollins said visitors to St. Helena, which has a population of around 4,400, are awestruck to learn about Jonathan’s staggering life span.
The tortoise has seen 31 St. Helena governors come and go and was likely alive for President Andrew Jackson’s second inauguration in 1833, as well as the inaugurations of the next 39 U.S. presidents.
“While wars, famines, plagues, kings and queens and even nations have come and gone, he has pottered on, totally oblivious to the passage of time,” said Hollins.
“Jonathan is symbolic of persistence, endurance and survival and has achieved iconic status on the island,” he added.
It isn’t unusual for giant land tortoises to live up to 150 years, said Hollins, but Jonathan has endured longer than most people expected.
The previous known longevity record was held by a radiated tortoise named Tu’i Malila, reportedly given to Tonga’s royal family in 1777. When Tu’i Malila died in 1965, she was about 188 years old, according to Guinness World Records.
Guinness recently updated its records to reflect that Jonathan is now the oldest land animal in the world, but news of the occasion was met the same way as most anything to the tortoise, according to his caretaker.
“He knows my voice and comes to me like a dog, but I have to accept it is mainly Pavlovian because he associates me with food,” said Hollins, noting that Jonathan is now blind and has lost his sense of smell, but still has a healthy appetite.
For more than a decade, he has hand-fed the tortoise carrots, cucumbers, apples and bananas, making sure to put on thick welder’s gloves to protect his fingers from Jonathan’s sharp beak.
“Even through (the gloves), I’ve lost two nails,” said Hollins. “But I really love this great, crusty reptile. He’s a gentleman of a tortoise.”
When Hollins was hired as a veterinarian by the St. Helena government, he said Jonathan was in ill health with a blunt, crumbly beak, and was unable to graze.
“He was grabbing at dirt and dry leaves and tugging on rank grass,” he said. “After feeding him for some time, we witnessed a miracle: his beak regrew its sharp edge.”
Hollins said he learned that the tortoise had a vitamin, mineral and trace element deficiency, which was soon corrected with a weekly intake of fresh produce.
“He’s been resurrected, so now we can’t stop,” he said, adding that Jonathan turns his beak up at kale, but devours lettuce hearts and sun-ripened pears.
The tortoise also enjoys sunbathing and has frightened visitors by sprawling on the grass with all four legs and his neck outstretched, he added.
More than once, “Jonathan has fooled us into doing a rush visit because somebody has reported him dead,” said Hollins.
He said he knows the day may be approaching when a call like that turns out to be real.
“I’ve been here for four governors, and each one has said to me with a note of pleading, ‘Please Joe – not on my watch,'” said Hollins.
For now, St. Helena is planning to commission a stamp featuring Jonathan and possibly have a national holiday to honor the tortoise sometime in 2022, he said.
“When he does go, it will be difficult, though we are realistic and prepared,” added Hollins, noting that studies show giant tortoises don’t age like humans, but may simply wear out or die after an injury.
“With good care and attention,” he said, “Jonathan may yet see many of us in our graves.”
The world’s oldest living land animal? At age 190, it’s Jonathan the tortoise.
By Cathy Free February 5, 2022
Jonathan the tortoise has lived on one of the most remote islands in the world for 140 years. He has become somewhat of a media star recently, as he just got a lofty distinction: the oldest living land animal in the world.
Jonathan is turning 190 this year. Well, that’s the best guess about the age of the 440-pound chelonian.
“To be honest, I suspect he’s older, but we can never know,” said Joe Hollins, the veterinarian who cares for Jonathan on St. Helena island, a tiny volcanic British territory more than a thousand miles off the coast of Africa.
Jonathan has spent most of his life wandering (albeit slowly) with three other land tortoises around the grounds of the St. Helena governor’s residence, Plantation House.
Jonathan is estimated to have hatched in 1832, according to a letter that mentions he arrived “fully grown” on St. Helena in 1882 from the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean, he said. “Fully grown” in turtle context meant at least 50 years, Hollins said.
A photo taken between 1882 and 1886 shows Jonathan grazing at Plantation House, where he’d been presented to the governor of St. Helena as a gift, according to Hollins.
“It was quite traditional for (tortoises) to be used as diplomatic gifts around the world, if they weren’t eaten first,” he said, noting that they were harvested by ship crews because they were stackable and didn’t need food or water for days.
“Apparently, they were utterly delicious,” he said.
In addition to Jonathan, Hollins cares for the other tortoises that live on the 10-mile-long island. He also leads a team in looking after the island’s cats, dogs, cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and pigs.
This photo taken in the late 1800s shows Jonathan, left, with another tortoise, now deceased. Courtesy of Joe Hollins
But Jonathan, as the senior gentleman in the group, is special, he said.
“I take great delight in looking after him,” said Hollins, noting that at age 64 he is 126 years younger than the rare Seychelles giant tortoise he has tended to for the past 13 years.
“It’s a huge responsibility, but an honor and a privilege for a vet to see to the needs of the oldest known living land animal in the world,” he said.
There are likely sharks in the ocean older than Jonathan, said Hollins, but he hasn’t heard of another well-documented land creature that has been alive for more historical events.
Hollins said visitors to St. Helena, which has a population of around 4,400, are awestruck to learn about Jonathan’s staggering life span.
The tortoise has seen 31 St. Helena governors come and go and was likely alive for President Andrew Jackson’s second inauguration in 1833, as well as the inaugurations of the next 39 U.S. presidents.
“While wars, famines, plagues, kings and queens and even nations have come and gone, he has pottered on, totally oblivious to the passage of time,” said Hollins.
“Jonathan is symbolic of persistence, endurance and survival and has achieved iconic status on the island,” he added.
It isn’t unusual for giant land tortoises to live up to 150 years, said Hollins, but Jonathan has endured longer than most people expected.
The previous known longevity record was held by a radiated tortoise named Tu’i Malila, reportedly given to Tonga’s royal family in 1777. When Tu’i Malila died in 1965, she was about 188 years old, according to Guinness World Records.
Guinness recently updated its records to reflect that Jonathan is now the oldest land animal in the world, but news of the occasion was met the same way as most anything to the tortoise, according to his caretaker.
“He knows my voice and comes to me like a dog, but I have to accept it is mainly Pavlovian because he associates me with food,” said Hollins, noting that Jonathan is now blind and has lost his sense of smell, but still has a healthy appetite.
For more than a decade, he has hand-fed the tortoise carrots, cucumbers, apples and bananas, making sure to put on thick welder’s gloves to protect his fingers from Jonathan’s sharp beak.
“Even through (the gloves), I’ve lost two nails,” said Hollins. “But I really love this great, crusty reptile. He’s a gentleman of a tortoise.”
When Hollins was hired as a veterinarian by the St. Helena government, he said Jonathan was in ill health with a blunt, crumbly beak, and was unable to graze.
“He was grabbing at dirt and dry leaves and tugging on rank grass,” he said. “After feeding him for some time, we witnessed a miracle: his beak regrew its sharp edge.”
Hollins said he learned that the tortoise had a vitamin, mineral and trace element deficiency, which was soon corrected with a weekly intake of fresh produce.
“He’s been resurrected, so now we can’t stop,” he said, adding that Jonathan turns his beak up at kale, but devours lettuce hearts and sun-ripened pears.
The tortoise also enjoys sunbathing and has frightened visitors by sprawling on the grass with all four legs and his neck outstretched, he added.
More than once, “Jonathan has fooled us into doing a rush visit because somebody has reported him dead,” said Hollins.
He said he knows the day may be approaching when a call like that turns out to be real.
“I’ve been here for four governors, and each one has said to me with a note of pleading, ‘Please Joe – not on my watch,'” said Hollins.
For now, St. Helena is planning to commission a stamp featuring Jonathan and possibly have a national holiday to honor the tortoise sometime in 2022, he said.
“When he does go, it will be difficult, though we are realistic and prepared,” added Hollins, noting that studies show giant tortoises don’t age like humans, but may simply wear out or die after an injury.
“With good care and attention,” he said, “Jonathan may yet see many of us in our graves.”
Last edited:
It was "Mutual of Maine's Wild Kingdom" out there today. A light dusting of snow over packed sleet made for nice photo ops...
"Guard Fox" rooting for mice in my backyard:
That Wascily Wabbit (Snowshoe Hare) was out and about again, but no sighting:
Tom Turkey out for a stroll:
Mickey & Minnie walking around the woods:
And looks like a White-Haired Snowshoe Curmudgeon was walking around:
"Guard Fox" rooting for mice in my backyard:
That Wascily Wabbit (Snowshoe Hare) was out and about again, but no sighting:
Tom Turkey out for a stroll:
Mickey & Minnie walking around the woods:
And looks like a White-Haired Snowshoe Curmudgeon was walking around:
Attachments
What does this have to do with this thread?
Not a damm thing lol
Love seeing eagles, so I guess my decision to go with lead-free shot shells for varmint control is appropriate...
pressherald.com/2022/02/17/nearly-half-of-u-s-bald-eagles-suffer-lead-poisoning/
By CHRISTINA LARSON February 18, 2022
Bald eagles compete for a deer carcass in Montana. Estelle Shuttleworth via AP
WASHINGTON — America’s national bird is more beleaguered than previously believed, with nearly half of bald eagles tested across the U.S. showing signs of chronic lead exposure, according to a study published Thursday.
While the bald eagle population has rebounded from the brink of extinction since the U.S. banned the pesticide DDT in 1972, harmful levels of toxic lead were found in the bones of 46 percent of bald eagles sampled in 38 states from California to Florida, researchers reported in the journal Science.
Similar rates of lead exposure were found in golden eagles, which scientists say means the raptors likely consumed carrion or prey contaminated by lead from ammunition or fishing tackle.
The blood, bones, feathers and liver tissue of 1,210 eagles sampled from 2010 to 2018 were examined to assess chronic and acute lead exposure.
“This is the first time for any wildlife species that we’ve been able to evaluate lead exposure and population level consequences at a continental scale,” said study co-author Todd Katzner, a wildlife biologist at U.S. Geological Survey in Boise, Idaho. “It’s sort of stunning that nearly 50 percent of them are getting repeatedly exposed to lead.”
Lead is a neurotoxin that even in low doses impairs an eagle’s balance and stamina, reducing its ability to fly, hunt and reproduce. In high doses, lead causes seizures, breathing difficulty and death.
The study estimated that lead exposure reduced the annual population growth of bald eagles by 4 percent and golden eagles by 1 percent.
Bald eagles are one of America’s most celebrated conservation success stories, and the birds were removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List in 2007.
But scientists say that high lead levels are still a concern. Besides suppressing eagle population growth, lead exposure reduces their resilience in facing future challenges, such as climate change or infectious diseases.
“When we talk about recovery, it’s not really the end of the story — there are still threats to bald eagles,” said Krysten Schuler, a wildlife disease ecologist at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, who was not involved in the study.
Previous studies have shown high lead exposure in specific regions, but not across the country. The blood samples from live eagles in the new study were taken from birds trapped and studied for other reasons; the bone, feather and liver samples came from eagles killed by collisions with vehicles or powerlines, or other misfortunes.
“Lead is present on the landscape and available to these birds more than we previously thought,” said co-author Vince Slabe, a research wildlife biologist at the nonprofit Conservation Science Global. “A lead fragment the size of the end of a pin is large enough to cause mortality in an eagle. ”
The researchers also found elevated levels of lead exposure in fall and winter, coinciding with hunting season in many states.
During these months, eagles scavenge on carcasses and gut piles left by hunters, which are often riddled with shards of lead shot or bullet fragments.
Slabe said the upshot of the research was not to disparage hunters. “Hunters are one of the best conservation groups in this country,” he said, noting that fees and taxes paid by hunters help fund state wildlife agencies, and that he also hunted deer and elk in Montana.
However, Slabe said he hopes the findings provide an opportunity to “talk to hunters about this issue in a clear manner” and that more hunters will voluntarily switch to non-lead ammunition such as copper bullets.
Lead ammunition for waterfowl hunting was banned in 1991, due to concerns about contamination of waterways, and wildlife authorities encouraged the use of nontoxic steel shot. However, lead ammunition is still common for upland bird hunting and big game hunting.
The amount of lead exposure varies regionally, with highest levels found in the Central Flyway, the new study found.
At the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center, veterinarian and executive director Victoria Hall said that “85 to 90 percent of the eagles that come into our hospital have some level of lead in their blood,” and X-rays often show fragments of lead bullets in their stomachs.
Eagles with relatively low levels can be treated, she said, but those with high exposure can’t be saved.
Laura Hale, board president at nonprofit Badger Run Wildlife Rehab in Klamath County, Oregon, said she’ll never forget the first eagle she encountered with acute lead poisoning, in 2018. She had answered a resident’s call about an eagle that seemed immobile in underbrush and brought it to the clinic.
The young bald eagle was wrapped in a blanket, unable to breathe properly, let alone stand or fly.
“There is something hideous when you watch an eagle struggling to breathe because of lead poisoning – it’s really, really harsh,” she said, her voice shaking. That eagle went into convulsions, and died within 48 hours.
Lead on the landscape affects not only eagles, but also many other birds — including hawks, vultures, ravens, swans and geese, said Jennifer Cedarleaf, avian director at Alaska Raptor Center, a nonprofit wildlife rescue in Sitka, Alaska.
Because eagles are very sensitive to lead, are so well-studied and attract so much public interest, “bald eagles are like the canary in the coal mine,” she said. “They are the species that tells us: We have a bit of problem.”
Nearly half of U.S. bald eagles suffer lead poisoning
By CHRISTINA LARSON February 18, 2022
Bald eagles compete for a deer carcass in Montana. Estelle Shuttleworth via AP
WASHINGTON — America’s national bird is more beleaguered than previously believed, with nearly half of bald eagles tested across the U.S. showing signs of chronic lead exposure, according to a study published Thursday.
While the bald eagle population has rebounded from the brink of extinction since the U.S. banned the pesticide DDT in 1972, harmful levels of toxic lead were found in the bones of 46 percent of bald eagles sampled in 38 states from California to Florida, researchers reported in the journal Science.
Similar rates of lead exposure were found in golden eagles, which scientists say means the raptors likely consumed carrion or prey contaminated by lead from ammunition or fishing tackle.
The blood, bones, feathers and liver tissue of 1,210 eagles sampled from 2010 to 2018 were examined to assess chronic and acute lead exposure.
“This is the first time for any wildlife species that we’ve been able to evaluate lead exposure and population level consequences at a continental scale,” said study co-author Todd Katzner, a wildlife biologist at U.S. Geological Survey in Boise, Idaho. “It’s sort of stunning that nearly 50 percent of them are getting repeatedly exposed to lead.”
Lead is a neurotoxin that even in low doses impairs an eagle’s balance and stamina, reducing its ability to fly, hunt and reproduce. In high doses, lead causes seizures, breathing difficulty and death.
The study estimated that lead exposure reduced the annual population growth of bald eagles by 4 percent and golden eagles by 1 percent.
Bald eagles are one of America’s most celebrated conservation success stories, and the birds were removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List in 2007.
But scientists say that high lead levels are still a concern. Besides suppressing eagle population growth, lead exposure reduces their resilience in facing future challenges, such as climate change or infectious diseases.
“When we talk about recovery, it’s not really the end of the story — there are still threats to bald eagles,” said Krysten Schuler, a wildlife disease ecologist at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, who was not involved in the study.
Previous studies have shown high lead exposure in specific regions, but not across the country. The blood samples from live eagles in the new study were taken from birds trapped and studied for other reasons; the bone, feather and liver samples came from eagles killed by collisions with vehicles or powerlines, or other misfortunes.
“Lead is present on the landscape and available to these birds more than we previously thought,” said co-author Vince Slabe, a research wildlife biologist at the nonprofit Conservation Science Global. “A lead fragment the size of the end of a pin is large enough to cause mortality in an eagle. ”
The researchers also found elevated levels of lead exposure in fall and winter, coinciding with hunting season in many states.
During these months, eagles scavenge on carcasses and gut piles left by hunters, which are often riddled with shards of lead shot or bullet fragments.
Slabe said the upshot of the research was not to disparage hunters. “Hunters are one of the best conservation groups in this country,” he said, noting that fees and taxes paid by hunters help fund state wildlife agencies, and that he also hunted deer and elk in Montana.
However, Slabe said he hopes the findings provide an opportunity to “talk to hunters about this issue in a clear manner” and that more hunters will voluntarily switch to non-lead ammunition such as copper bullets.
Lead ammunition for waterfowl hunting was banned in 1991, due to concerns about contamination of waterways, and wildlife authorities encouraged the use of nontoxic steel shot. However, lead ammunition is still common for upland bird hunting and big game hunting.
The amount of lead exposure varies regionally, with highest levels found in the Central Flyway, the new study found.
At the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center, veterinarian and executive director Victoria Hall said that “85 to 90 percent of the eagles that come into our hospital have some level of lead in their blood,” and X-rays often show fragments of lead bullets in their stomachs.
Eagles with relatively low levels can be treated, she said, but those with high exposure can’t be saved.
Laura Hale, board president at nonprofit Badger Run Wildlife Rehab in Klamath County, Oregon, said she’ll never forget the first eagle she encountered with acute lead poisoning, in 2018. She had answered a resident’s call about an eagle that seemed immobile in underbrush and brought it to the clinic.
The young bald eagle was wrapped in a blanket, unable to breathe properly, let alone stand or fly.
“There is something hideous when you watch an eagle struggling to breathe because of lead poisoning – it’s really, really harsh,” she said, her voice shaking. That eagle went into convulsions, and died within 48 hours.
Lead on the landscape affects not only eagles, but also many other birds — including hawks, vultures, ravens, swans and geese, said Jennifer Cedarleaf, avian director at Alaska Raptor Center, a nonprofit wildlife rescue in Sitka, Alaska.
Because eagles are very sensitive to lead, are so well-studied and attract so much public interest, “bald eagles are like the canary in the coal mine,” she said. “They are the species that tells us: We have a bit of problem.”
Rare for bear sightings in my hood, and very glad that Hank is on the other coast...
South Lake Tahoe, Calif., residents have called the police more than 100 times since July about a black bear known as Hank the Tank who has been rummaging through homes looking for food.Credit...Bear League
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.”
Hank, so named by local residents, has used his size and strength to barge through garages, windows and door. As of Thursday, Hank had broken into at least 28 homes.
At 500 pounds, Hank is “exceptionally large,” the state wildlife authorities said. The average black bear in the western United States weighs 100 to 300 pounds, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
But Hank’s diet of human food and garbage has expanded his size, said Ann Bryant, the executive director of the Bear League, a wildlife rescue service in Homewood, Calif.
“He didn’t get fat like that eating berries and grubs,” she said, adding that it was not clear how Hank developed a taste for human food.
Hank became one of the neighborhood’s least-wanted residents in July, which is around the time that bears enter hyperphagia, a period when they bulk up on calories before they hibernate for the winter, according to the National Park Service.
But Hank’s penchant for breaking into homes, which was reported by television station KRNV in Reno, Nev., did not slow in the winter, leading the state wildlife authorities to believe that he never went into hibernation, Mr. Tira said. Sometimes bears do not hibernate if they have year-round access to food, he said.
Hank did not wander into a trap set for him this month, so the authorities are brainstorming a new approach, with euthanasia being their “last option,” Mr. Tira said.
If officials move the bear to another area, that could simply relocate the problem, he said, adding that all the sanctuaries are too full to take Hank.
And that is the point of contention between the California wildlife authorities and the residents of Tahoe Keys. Many of the residents want to see Hank sent to a sanctuary and not euthanized, Ms. Bryant said.
Black bears have roamed the area for generations. They have coexisted with the residents, who have learned not to leave food out and to seal their trash in bear-proof containers. Still, bears have occasionally caused trouble in the area. In 2007, The New York Times described the animals as “home wreckers.”
The bear situation took a turn during the coronavirus pandemic, when some people moved to the area to work remotely. New residents were not all “as bear aware as they should be,” Mr. Tira said. And after people fled South Lake Tahoe during the Caldor fire in September, the bears assumed the place of humans, walking the streets and checking out homes, he said.
Even though the neighbors do not want Hank to vandalize their homes, they want him to be treated with respect, Ms. Bryant said. The state authorities took down a bear trap in the area after someone spray painted “Bear Killer” on it.
The residents are quick to point out that Hank is gentle and sweet. When he breaks into a home, he is far more interested in the food than any people who may be inside, Ms. Bryant said.
“He just sits there and eats,” she said. “He doesn’t attack them. He doesn’t growl. He doesn’t make rude faces.”
Carolyn Meiers, who lives in Tahoe Keys, said that while she has taken new measures to protect her house from “that big bad bear,” such as locking her sliding glass doors, the thought of Hank does not keep her up at night.
“We’re fortunate in that it just hasn’t bothered us, but we’re very wary of that possibility,” said Ms. Meiers, 79.
Though other homeowners have reported that Hank has caused extensive property damage, he has not harmed any humans, the authorities said.
“Why should this big dummy die?” Ms. Bryant said.
Hank the Tank, a 500-Pound Bear, Ransacks a California Community
Paintballs, bean bags, sirens and Tasers cannot keep the “exceptionally large bear” from seeking leftover pizza and other food. Officials say he has broken into at least 28 homes since July.
South Lake Tahoe, Calif., residents have called the police more than 100 times since July about a black bear known as Hank the Tank who has been rummaging through homes looking for food.Credit...Bear League
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.”
Hank, so named by local residents, has used his size and strength to barge through garages, windows and door. As of Thursday, Hank had broken into at least 28 homes.
At 500 pounds, Hank is “exceptionally large,” the state wildlife authorities said. The average black bear in the western United States weighs 100 to 300 pounds, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
But Hank’s diet of human food and garbage has expanded his size, said Ann Bryant, the executive director of the Bear League, a wildlife rescue service in Homewood, Calif.
“He didn’t get fat like that eating berries and grubs,” she said, adding that it was not clear how Hank developed a taste for human food.
Hank became one of the neighborhood’s least-wanted residents in July, which is around the time that bears enter hyperphagia, a period when they bulk up on calories before they hibernate for the winter, according to the National Park Service.
But Hank’s penchant for breaking into homes, which was reported by television station KRNV in Reno, Nev., did not slow in the winter, leading the state wildlife authorities to believe that he never went into hibernation, Mr. Tira said. Sometimes bears do not hibernate if they have year-round access to food, he said.
Hank did not wander into a trap set for him this month, so the authorities are brainstorming a new approach, with euthanasia being their “last option,” Mr. Tira said.
If officials move the bear to another area, that could simply relocate the problem, he said, adding that all the sanctuaries are too full to take Hank.
And that is the point of contention between the California wildlife authorities and the residents of Tahoe Keys. Many of the residents want to see Hank sent to a sanctuary and not euthanized, Ms. Bryant said.
Black bears have roamed the area for generations. They have coexisted with the residents, who have learned not to leave food out and to seal their trash in bear-proof containers. Still, bears have occasionally caused trouble in the area. In 2007, The New York Times described the animals as “home wreckers.”
The bear situation took a turn during the coronavirus pandemic, when some people moved to the area to work remotely. New residents were not all “as bear aware as they should be,” Mr. Tira said. And after people fled South Lake Tahoe during the Caldor fire in September, the bears assumed the place of humans, walking the streets and checking out homes, he said.
Even though the neighbors do not want Hank to vandalize their homes, they want him to be treated with respect, Ms. Bryant said. The state authorities took down a bear trap in the area after someone spray painted “Bear Killer” on it.
The residents are quick to point out that Hank is gentle and sweet. When he breaks into a home, he is far more interested in the food than any people who may be inside, Ms. Bryant said.
“He just sits there and eats,” she said. “He doesn’t attack them. He doesn’t growl. He doesn’t make rude faces.”
Carolyn Meiers, who lives in Tahoe Keys, said that while she has taken new measures to protect her house from “that big bad bear,” such as locking her sliding glass doors, the thought of Hank does not keep her up at night.
“We’re fortunate in that it just hasn’t bothered us, but we’re very wary of that possibility,” said Ms. Meiers, 79.
Though other homeowners have reported that Hank has caused extensive property damage, he has not harmed any humans, the authorities said.
“Why should this big dummy die?” Ms. Bryant said.
Backyard critters inside the house ?
Caught this stink bug flying around the living room last night. I guess he woke up with yesterday’s warm weather and wanted to get outside. First one I’ve seen since we moved in. Hopefully not to many others got inside. They overwinter indoors, and do not feed, eat or reproduce when inside. But the Mrs. Isn’t happy ?
Caught this stink bug flying around the living room last night. I guess he woke up with yesterday’s warm weather and wanted to get outside. First one I’ve seen since we moved in. Hopefully not to many others got inside. They overwinter indoors, and do not feed, eat or reproduce when inside. But the Mrs. Isn’t happy ?
📱 Fish Smarter with the NYAngler App!
Launch Now
Launch Now
Latest articles
-
The SALTIGA RevolutionCaptain Sal's Saltwater Corner: The SALTIGA Revolution By Captain Sal Wavechaser, 30-year...- george
- Updated:
- 9 min read
-
Time to End Stop and Frisk on the WaterLet’s be clear. This stop and frisk mentality on the water needs to end. When did we decide it's...
- george
- Updated:
- 2 min read
-
Fishing for Cobia in New York WatersCobia Fishing in New York: Tips for Reeling in the Prized Catch Cobia fishing is very popular in...
- george
- Updated:
- 10 min read
-
Cobia in New York - A New FrontierCobia in New York: A New Frontier for Northeast Anglers Explore how Cobia are expanding their...
- george
- Updated:
- 10 min read
-
Offshore Wind Farm Construction Effects on Bottom FishOffshore Wind Farm Construction Effects on Bottom Fish and Commercial Fishing: What the Science...- Susie Angler
- Updated:
- 5 min read