Black bear killed after repeatedly visiting Utah campsites

AMERICAN FORK, Utah ( ABC4 ) — Utah wildlife officials say they killed a black bear after it visited multiple campsites in American Fork Canyon.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said the bear, a 5-year-old male, was euthanized because it was habituated to going from campground to campground in search of food.

Scott Root, the DWR’s central region outreach manager, said that the bear exhibited very little fear of humans, and even charged an officer or two.

“We knew this bear was a public safety risk, and we couldn’t allow it to keep going into campgrounds,” Root said.

According to the DWR, reports of a nuisance bear in the area started back on July 18. While the bear never hurt anyone, officials were forced to close campgrounds.

“Granite Flat, Timpooneke, Altamont, and Salamander Flat Campground were all shut down over the weekend,” Root said.

Officials say the bear was rewarded with food by people who didn’t clean their campsites or left food in their tents.

Darren DeBloois, game mammals program coordinator with the DWR, said that having a clean campsite not only protects people, but bears too.

“We really hate to have to put bears down, but when they lose fear of humans and get into food, it’s really one of the only choices we have left,” DeBloois said.

If you see a bear at a campground, call the DWR immediately. For more information on bear safety, visit Wild Aware Utah.

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