Turns out Hank the Tank, the 500-pound bear, was accused of crimes other bears had committed. And DNA evidence proves this.
Authorities believed that it was Hank who broke into 28 homes, creating a nuisance for South Lake Tahoe residents.
Evidence gathered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests that there were three bears responsible for these break-ins, the department said in a statement.
“Identifying bears simply by their visible, physical characteristics can lead to misidentifying bears and therefore confusing management efforts,” CDFW officials said. “The genetic information gleaned from our effort in the South Lake Tahoe area will assist CDFW by expanding its database of bear genetics and hopefully preventing future misidentification of bears.”
With this new evidence, Hank will no longer be euthanized upon capture. Instead, wildlife experts plan “to trap bears in the South Lake Tahoe area, tag them, collect evidence for genetic analysis, and then release them into suitable habitat.”
Hank the Tank recently became famous on the internet, so much so that people wouldn’t stop calling the South Lake Tahoe Police about him. The law enforcement department ended up posting a message on Facebook, urging residents to stop.
“It’s time to talk. Please stop calling South Lake Tahoe Police to give your opinions about Hank,” the department wrote. “The SLTPD does not have a say in where Hank lands. Our local wildlife agencies are working together to find the best option for Hank.”
The statement referred to Hank as a “severely food-habituated bear,” which means that he has “lost its fear of people and is associating people with access to food.”
“What’s problematic about this bear is how large it is,” Peter Tira, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told SF Gate. “It’s learned to use that size and strength to break into a number of occupied residences, bursting through the garage door or front door.”