Bear that swiped at Monrovia woman euthanized by wildlife officials, city says
State wildlife officials euthanized a bear that swiped at a Monrovia woman last Saturday morning.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife captured the bear and her two cubs on Sunday. CDFW said that they would test the bear to determine if it was the same one that attacked the woman.
"I am sorry to share the unfortunate news," City Manager Dylan Feik wrote. "The Monrovia City Council requested and lobbied for the bear and her cubs to be relocated into the Angeles National Forest but the decision was never the City's to make. By the time we were able to speak with state officials involved in the decision-making, the decision to euthanize was already made."
CDFW's testing determined that the bear's DNA matched the recent attack and another attack in the same neighborhood last year, according to Feik.
The bear attacked an elderly man as he sat on his enclosed porch in the same neighborhood, according to Feik.
"The bear approached him and swiped at him also causing injury," Feik wrote. "A caretaker witnessed the incident and helped scare the bear away while the resident received treatment. That elderly resident also recovered from his injuries."
In a statement, CDFW said they decided to euthanize the bear after "a thorough assessment of the bear's behavior and the circumstances of the incident."
"Humane euthanasia is considered only as a last resort when an animal poses an ongoing risk to public safety and cannot be safely returned to the wild," CDFW wrote.
Feik said the two cubs are healthy and will be relocated to a facility before being moved into wildland areas.
The euthanasia upset neighbors after more than 3,000 people signed a petition to save the bear.
"This is a plea to Fish and Wildlife to communicate better, to talk to people in the community who know these bears," resident Richard Franco said. "That way, you get an idea of what's going on. This was completely unnecessary."
The Monrovia Police Department said the woman suffered minor injuries after the bear swiped at her leg and scratched the back of her knee on Saturday. Officers expected she would be OK after being hospitalized last weekend.
Ashlie Howie-Storms, who ran a social media account documenting bear sightings in the neighborhood, said she had spoken with the woman minutes before she continued walking her dog and encountered the bear.
"Fish and Wildlife is more reactive than proactive," Howie-Storms said. "People love these bears. People love this community. Something needs to change between the way everyone communicates here."