Story Archive

Careless Bear

Lou Cenicola of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game was at a weir on the Chilkoot River to count fish, while a bear and two of her cubs were there to eat fish. A crowd of humans was there to watch. What the man in the bear suit was there for is less clear, but department official Mark Sogge said the man ran around, jumped, and approached within ten feet — maybe less — of the bear cubs. Cenicola talked to the man, but he couldn’t get him to reveal his name. “You have the license plate number,” Sogge said the man told Cenicola. “You figure it out.” A spokeswoman for the state troopers said they were investigating, and the bear-suited man could be charged with harassing wildlife. (AC/AP) ...Mama’s a big bear. She can take care of harassers herself.