Colorado state authorities had to euthanize a bear that became seriously ill after eating human waste.
Wet wipes removed from bear stomachs in Colorado (left) and an illustration of a black bear (right). Photo: Wirestock/Getty/Colorado Park and Wildlife
"The bear was unable to digest its food and was very sick. It was all from garbage, which we talk about too often when we talk about bear conflicts in Colorado. The reason we had to euthanize it was to end the suffering caused by eating indigestible garbage," Rachel Sralla, regional manager at Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), told Newsweek on September 14.
Experts found the bear near a riverside trail in Telluride on September 9. It weighed about 400 pounds and had a fever, swollen eyes, and pus coming from its eyes and mouth. The animal also appeared to have severe abdominal pain, was walking with a hunched back, and had difficulty moving.
The bear was well known in the area and may have even been involved in a home invasion in Colorado over the summer. It had previously responded to scare tactics, but no longer responded to the experts. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, scare tactics are techniques used to discourage unwanted behavior in wild animals, such as making loud noises, flashing lights, and splashing water.
"Based on the bear's behavior and condition, CPW decided to euthanize it for human health and safety reasons and to prevent the bear from further suffering," CPW said. When they performed the necropsy, experts were shocked by what they found.
"Examination of the intestines and stomach showed that the bear was starving due to a blockage of paper towels, disinfectant wipes, napkins, pieces of plastic bags and food wrap in the pylorus. This blockage was accompanied by potato chips, green beans, onions and peanuts. The small and large intestines were empty. The intestines were distended by bacteria in the early stages of decomposition, but we opened several locations and found no digested food," said Mark Caddy, a manager at CPW.
Colorado is home to an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 black bears. They are naturally shy and wary of humans, but are attracted to the smell of food and human waste, sometimes to their detriment. The incident on September 9 is a reminder to keep trash cans closed, secure, and away from hungry bears.
Thu Thao (According to Newsweek )
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