Patrice Miller, 71, was found dead in her home, marking California's first recorded fatal bear attack. After her absence from local events raised concerns, authorities discovered that she had likely been killed by a bear, which entered her home after weeks of increasing human-wildlife conflict. This event has sparked intense political battles in California regarding predator management, with some lawmakers calling for more aggressive measures against bears, while conservationists argue against such actions, deeming them inhumane and ineffective.
"We don't believe the bear did it," said Ann Bryant, executive director of the Bear League in the Tahoe Basin. "And I will go on record as saying that. ... We've never had a bear kill anybody."
But amid the contentious politics around black bears and other apex predators in California, not everyone accepts the official version of how she died.
Lawmakers representing conservative rural districts in the state's rugged northern reaches argue that their communities are under attack, and point to Miller as one example of the worst that can happen.
Wildlife conservation advocates are aghast. They say turning dogs on bears is barbaric and won't make anyone safer.
Collection
[
|
...
]