Grizzly killed in Marsh Lake after breaking into cabin with people inside
The bear was emaciated, according to a conservation officer
A grizzly bear was killed over the weekend after breaking into a cabin with people inside in Marsh Lake, Yukon, according to the territorial government.
"This bear clearly knew that it was not in any condition to make it through the winter, so it was getting rather extreme in the lengths that it would go to to try and find food sources," David Bakica, a conservation officer for the Whitehorse district, said on Wednesday.
The problems with the bear date as far back as at least Aug. 11, when conservation officers were called to the area of McClintock Valley Road.
Bakica said the bear broke into a residence with someone inside. The person escaped through a back door, then went inside a travel trailer.
When police arrived, the sound of their cars arriving scared the bear away, he said.
Later, conservation officers set up a trap, among other things, and they learned that the bear broke into several cabins, homes, and trailers.
"It broke through closed doors, broke the locks off just by smashing on the door," Bakica said.
The bear also ripped doors off of campers and broke through a window, he added.
Late Saturday, it broke into a cabin with two people inside, where it was shot by one of the occupants. The people weren't injured, Bakica said.
"This is a pretty unusual circumstance. Bears generally have a natural fear of humans, to the point where they won't go where there are strong human smells," Bakica said.
"This bear probably didn't realize there were people in the cabins, but this bear just simply didn't care."
He said the bear was emaciated and more than 30 years old.
Bakica said it's important that people think about how to properly manage things on their property that attract bears, such as food.