6/24/12

A brown bear sow was fatally shot and her cubs were euthanized by Fish and Game officials.

The sow was reportedly shot by an Arc Loop resident on Wednesday “in defense of life and property.” The sow had gotten into the resident’s pen with chicken and other fowl.

The cubs lingered near their dead mother until game officials arrived.

Area wildlife biologist Jeff Selinger says cubs’ chances of survival without the mother were “extremely low.”

Officials could not find a suitable area for the cubs. In the past, cubs in similar situations have been shot by residents or killed by bears when released into other areas.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers are still reviewing the shooting.

Filed under: News by Andrew Rogers