Issaquah Bear Captured, Euthanized By WA Wildlife Officials

ISSAQUAH, WA — State wildlife biologists captured and "lethally removed" a black bear from the Squak Mountain area last week after several years are on the run, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

In a news release Tuesday, WDFW said the bear repeatedly fed on garbage and other "human-provided food sources" for more than three years. Officials said wildlife teams first captured, tagged, and collared the bear in 2019 while studying the animals' behavior in suburban areas. In the years since, residents near Issaquah captured photos of the bear that showed its tracking collar had become too tight. Officials said the GPS collar's battery died early last year, making it difficult to pin down a location to recapture the bear.

On Friday, the black bear wandered into a culvert trap WDFW placed in the area, based on reports from neighbors, and was photographed by a motion-activated camera pulling a full bag of garbage into the trap. A team of biologists deployed to the scene in the morning and sedated the bear to complete a health assessment.

Officials said the bear's collar fell off sometime before his capture, and the team observed no signs of injuries, apart from a blister in the neck area. However, weighing 352 pounds, biologists noted the bear was "exceptionally large" — and more than 150 pounds overweight — due to high caloric intake from non-natural food sources.

WDFW said the bear's weight and the likelihood he would continue to pursue non-natural food led to the tough decision to euthanize, rather than relocate, the animal.

"This bear's unfortunate story is a sad reminder of the need for assistance from the public in keeping wildlife wild," the agency wrote Tuesday. "Most of Washington state is inhabited by black bears, and both residents and visitors need to properly secure garbage by keeping it inside a garage or using bear-resistant containers, as well as removing attractants such as taking down bird feeders in the spring to prevent bears from becoming conditioned to human food sources."

In other cases, the agency said it is possible to capture and relocate bears while discouraging their return with loud noises and Karelian bear dogs. But in this instance, officials said, the adult bear was already dependent on human food, and moving the animal is less effective.

"Once bears know about a food source, they keep coming back to that place and can become less wary of people and create a safety concern," officials said. "This was the case with this male bear."

Recent efforts to capture the bear led biologists to five other black bears in the same area of Squak Mountain, which were successfully tagged and relocated deeper into the forest.

Here are a few more tips from the state to avoid attracting bears as they search for food in the spring:

· Never intentionally feed bears or other wildlife.
· Always keep garbage cans in a garage or a sturdy building until collection day.
· Take down seed, suet, and hummingbird feeders until fall.
· Clean up fallen fruit or other possible attractants around your home.
· Remove pet food from wildlife-accessible areas and feed your pets inside.
· Thoroughly clean barbecue grills after each use and store them in a secure building.
· Cage and electric fence your domestic fowl and livestock pens.
· Avoid storing food in your car.
· When camping, thoroughly:
· Clean all spilled food;
· Wash up after eating (you and your children’s hands, face, and clothing — especially if they are messy as our families are!);
· Wash all cooking utensils; and
· Keep all attractants at least 100 yards away from camping areas. If that isn’t possible, seal uneaten food and scented personal items, such as lotion or toothpaste, in airtight containers and store in bear-resistant canisters or food lockers and encourage your neighboring campers to do the same. You can find bear-resistant canisters at local sports stores.