We don’t know what this black bear was looking for when she broke into 21 homes in California (maybe some porridge?) but she’s now safely relocated to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado.
The female black bear weighs around 500 pounds and is known by the Department as 64F. She has been given another name by the public, “Hand the Tank,” which is a bit more memorable. Once everyone realized she was female, her name changed to Henrietta but the nickname stuck.
Experts used DNA evidence to confirm that she was behind at least 21 incidents in the South Lake Tahoe area. One of her most recent sightings included three cubs. They were also safely captured. Henrietta and her three cubs were all evaluated by vets and determined to be healthy. They didn’t get their day in court but were given a guilty verdict based on overwhelming evidence.
Don’t worry about them, however. Henrietta was relocated to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado. At the sanctuary, she’ll have over 200 acres of forested habitat to call home without the worry of either getting into trouble or getting into danger from human interaction. Normally, agencies try to release animals into the wild whenever possible. But because Henrietta had such a long history of break-ins, they decided that a large sanctuary would be safer for her.
Plans to release her cubs into the wild after they are relocated remain. Bears are solitary as adults and typically leave their mothers after around 2 years. Because the cubs had not picked up Henrietta’s bad habits yet, they can safely be released into the wild when they are old enough.
Black bears prefer to inhabit forested areas and only visit urban or suburban environments if driven by intense hunger.
©iStock.com/John Morrison
Is This Normal Bear Behavior?
Bears are known for trying to get into places that might have food. Campsites, cars, and even homes are often on the list. So it is normal for Henrietta to be curious and trying to get into homes.
What is unusual, however, is the sheer volume of her break-in spree. She could be more successful (and hungry) due to her large size. Female black bears are closer to 100 to 350 pounds. Males can get up to 500 pounds but even that is unusual. Henrietta is a large animal who is also known for her mischievous and curious personality.
This incident brought up other concerns about wild animals in close proximity to people and the impact it can have on their safety as well as the safety of people around them. Keeping wild animals as pets has increased in some places and a recent escape by a bear at the Dubai airport raised alarm. That bear was also sedated and taken to safety.
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