This just in, apparently the animal judicial world has just as many surprises and plot twists as the human equivalent, with a bear named Hank the Tank currently making the headlines .
Once believed to be a criminal, Hank’s life was in danger, but thanks to one discovery, his name has been cleared and he is a free bear once again.
RELATED STORIES
Hank the Tank is a notable figure in the Lake Tahoe area of California.
Given that he’s a particularly large black bear that seems to roam around quite frequently, maybe this shouldn’t be a surprise.
He’s had quite the reputation for a while, having made headlines before now for his antics.
Unfortunately, his reputation was that of a criminal.
Hank was believed to have been the sole perpetrator of 28 instances of home break-ins and 33 instances of extensive property damage. Due to his obvious loss of fear around humans and the danger that could cause, there was talk of him being captured and euthanized to minimize risk.
However, thanks to DNA evidence gathered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, that fate is no longer in Hank’s cards.
They put out a statement that reads, “While recent incidents of bears invading homes were originally thought to be a single bear, DNA evidence collected from the most recent incident as well as prior incidents over the past several months prove that at least three bears were responsible for breaking into numerous residences.”
This reveal has caused the department to change its attitude around bears.
They’ve decided they want to better track bears, as well as do more trap and release missions when they find bears frequently wandering too close to human homes.
“During this effort, CDFW will gather information and learn from scientific analysis to help inform and refine our bear management in the Lake Tahoe Basin. CDFW is not going to euthanize any bears that are trapped during this effort,” they said.
But what does this mean for Hank?
Most notably, it means that Hank will not be euthanized, as he was not the sole cause of all that damage. Instead, like their new initiatives state, he will be captured and released into his appropriate habitat.
Hopefully, with the increased effort regarding bear tracking, there will be no more false accusations like the ones Hank faced.
h/t: CNN
We want to hear from YOU so we can serve you better. Complete this quick survey and you will be entered to win a grand prize of $2,000, or a chance to win one of 10 Diply prize-packs!
