TRAVERSE CITY (WWJ) -- A 500-pound male black bear that had become infamous in residential areas of Traverse City was euthanized on Thursday.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the action was taken as a safety precaution, noting that the bear’s “increasingly bold” behavior had made him a threat to the public.
The bear had been trapped, collared and relocated to a more remote part of the northeastern Lower Peninsula back in April.
Officials said the bear has been frequenting Veterans Drive and the surrounding area, mostly at night; targeting bird feeders, trash bins and fruit trees.
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But by May, he had already returned to Grand Traverse County, and was spotted hanging around residential neighborhoods and other areas highly-inhabited by humans.
Parts of the bear, including his hide and skull, will be reportedly be donated to a nearby educational facility.
According to the Michigan DNR, approximately 12,000 black bears live in the state, with around 10,000 in the Upper Peninsula, and 2,000 in the Lower Peninsula.
Black bears are shy by nature, the DNR says, with prevention cited as key to avoiding people-bear conflicts. The best way to decrease your chances of having an encounter with a bear is to not leave food out where a bear could get to it.
Learn more about bears in Michigan HERE.
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