ELY, Minn., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A mother black bear's decision to spend the winter beneath a cabin in northeastern Minnesota may cost the bruin her life.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it plans to euthanize the mama bear known as Solo and relocate her two hibernating cubs, fearing the adult bear has become too socialized with humans.
Solo, who got her name after losing her right ear to a mauling from a male bear when she was a cub, has become a fixture in Eagles Nest Township, the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer-Press reported Tuesday.
"A majority of people don't want the bear destroyed,'' said Dan Humay, the township board chairman, who has led a local effort to establish protocols for dealing with bears. "They don't think it's a threatening animal.''
Mike DonCarlos, the DNR's research and policy manager sees the situation differently. He said it comes down to his professional responsibility to protect people, the newspaper reported.
"We err on the side of public safety. This bear's behavior in approaching people regularly, in our judgment, makes it more of a risk, certainly to cause property problems and, possibly, to pose a public safety risk," he said.
