On August 4, California officials safely captured a large female black bear that’s been involved in at least 21 DNA-confirmed home break-ins in the South Lake Tahoe area since 2022, also capturing her three cubs.

Based on visual observations, the large black bear is one of several that the public has been referring to as ‘Hank the Tank,’ with ‘Hank the Tank’ being known for break-ins and sightings, shocking the public with its size. While many believed ‘Hank the Tank’ to be a single bear, it has since been determined that this was not the case.

While problematic bears are typically euthanized or relocated to a different wild area, that will not be the case with this ‘Hank the Tank’ bear, also known as 64F. Instead, the bear will get a second-chance at a rehabilitation center in Colorado where it won’t be able to cause issues again. This decision was made due to the widespread interest in the bear and the significant risk of a serious incident involving the bear if it were to be relocated and released.

The animal will be brought to The Wild Animal Sanctuary near Springfield, Colorado. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has the authority to approve only one placement of this type and will be using it on this bear.

As for the bear’s three cubs, they’ll be transferred to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue with hopes that the facility can break bad behavior learned by the sow, at which point, the cubs may be reintroduced to the wild.

The capture of 64F follows an incident in March of 2023 during which she was discovered to be denning under a home with her three cubs. At that point, local wildlife officers immobilized her, collected DNA evidence, attached an ear tag, and attached a satellite tracking collar. The cubs were also given a microchip similar to those put in pets for future identification.

This initial capture helped to confirm the bear’s involvement in prior break-ins, with break-ins also taking place in May 2023.

In recent decades, there’s been an uptick regarding the number of homes constructed in wildland territory in the American West. As a result, there’s been an increased chance of negative human-animal interactions.

Because of this, it’s crucial that residents in these areas do their part when it comes to preventing these incidents from taking place.

As it relates to bear country, keep doors and windows closed and locked to help prevent bear break-ins. Avoid leaving trash, food, dirty grills, and water sources sitting out, as these items are known to attract wild animals.

Often, when a negative interaction takes place, the animal is euthanized. Being ‘bear smart’ can help prevent this from happening.

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