Black Bear Killed After U.S. Forest Service Campground Encounter

A black bear was killed by wildlife officers in a U.S. Forest Service that has temporarily closed down. Here are some details from the Anchorage Daily News:

A law enforcement officer with the U.S. Forest Service shot the animal around noon at a Portage Valley campsite, said Brandon Raile, a spokesman for the Chugach National Forest. Raile said he did not have details about how many people were inside the tent, but there were no injuries.

The tent was located near but not within the Black Bear and Williwaw campgrounds operated by the Forest Service along Portage Glacier Road, officials said.

The incident came about 10 days after a black bear tore into another occupied tent in the Williwaw Campground, injuring a woman and prompting campground closures to many users. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is testing a DNA sample taken from the original incident and comparing it to samples from Monday’s attack to determine if it’s the same animal, said Cyndi Wardlow, a regional supervisor for the department. They should know by early next week, she said.