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Hank the Tank, the bear that broke into dozens of homes, has been pictured roaming around her new home after being captured earlier this month.
The 500-pound black bear, also known as Henrietta, had broken into 21 homes around South Lake Tahoe in California between February 2022 and May 2023, while looking for food. She is also thought to be responsible for more property damage in the area.
With the bear on the loose, South Lake Tahoe Police Department officers were inundated with complaints about Hank the Tank. It got to the point where officers had to tell the public to stop calling regarding the bear.
The bear was finally captured on August 4 alongside her three cubs, who were also present during her break-ins. Hank the Tank was brought to the Wild Animal Refuge, near Springfield, Colorado. This was when the rescuers found she was actually female. She is now being referred to by staff as Henrietta.
"[The bear] is doing very well so far in her temporary introduction enclosure, which is located inside of her 230-acre natural habitat where she will live freely in the very near future," Michelle McGraw, chief administrative officer at the sanctuary, told Newsweek.
Pictures released by the sanctuary show the bear roaming around her enclosure happily while feasting on fruits and vegetables.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Colorado Parks and Wildlife worked to locate and transport Hank the Tank.
Her three cubs will be relocated separately, potentially to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue, a CDFW-permitted wildlife rehabilitation facility in Petaluma. Officials hope that this will allow them to stop the negative behaviors they learned from their mother, and eventually return to the wild.
The bear's situation is a rare one, as often, such animals that cause a nuisance to humans and damage property are euthanized.
"Colorado Parks and Wildlife has the authority to approve only one such placement and is using that authorization for this bear. Relocation is not typically an option for conflict animals over concern that relocating an animal will relocate the conflict behavior to a different community," a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
"However, given the widespread interest in this bear, and the significant risk of a serious incident involving the bear, CDFW is employing an alternative solution to safeguard the bear family as well as the people in the South Lake Tahoe community."
This black bear may not have been the only one involved in the break-ins around the area.
The CDWF said "this large black bear is one of multiple bears identified by the public last year as 'Hank the Tank' based on visual observations."
DNA samples from three bears have previously been found at the site of the break-ins.
Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about Hank the Tank? Let us know via nature@newsweek.com.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more