Report: ADFG Killed Fewer Anchorage-Area Bears In 2019

Last summer, 42 bears were killed by wildlife officials; this summer, there were just 6. Why the difference? https://t.co/CbjvFv3xup

— Alaska's News Source (@AKNewsNow) November 5, 2019

KTUU has some details on ADFG’s report about having to eliminate dangerous bears in urban settings:

According to new reports from Fish & Game, this past summer, only six bears had to be killed in Anchorage city limits. That’s a stark difference from 2018, when 42 had to be put down.

Cory Stantorf is the assistant area wildlife biologist for region 14-C for Fish & Game in Anchorage. He said he and other wildlife biologists do not have the perfect explanation for this change. However, he said they have a few ideas.

“It’s a combination of us having a good spring, so the green-up came early,” he said, “Over the last two years we’ve euthanized quite a few bears that have conflicted with humans so some of our conflict bears have been removed from the population.”