Hank the Tank
500-Pound Bear Nicknamed 'Hank the Tank' Breaks Into Nearly 40 Homes in California
A spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the bear "has lost all fear of people"
By Greta Bjornson February 21, 2022 03:38 PM
People Magazine
A 500-pound bear known as Hank the Tank has made himself at home in a California community, much to the chagrin of local residents.
Hank — who earned his name from South Lake Tahoe residents — has broken into dozens of homes in the area in recent months, The New York Times reported. He has been eating human food and garbage and breaking into homes through garages, windows and doors, according to the newspaper.
Despite attempts by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to keep him away, Hank continues to return, spokesperson Peter Tira told the Times. Officials have even used paintballs, bean bags, sirens and Tasers to prevent Hank from returning to the community.
"It's easier to find leftover pizza than to go in the forest," Tira said, per the Times.
As of Friday, 38 homes in the Lake Tahoe area have been damaged by Hank, and he's been reported in more than 150 calls to authorities, CBS Sacramento reported.
Local residents are now debating whether or not the bear should be euthanized.
Tim Johnson, who lives in the area favored by Hank, told CBS Sacramento that the bear's presence has made him more vigilant about home security.
"I've been in town 40 years and I've been locking my doors recently and I've never done that," he told the news station.
Bridget Marchetti Phillip, who lives across the street from a house that was broken into by Hank, told NBC News 4 San Antonio that she is "tired of having to fear our lives quite frankly because of what the bear may or may not do."
Marchetti Phillip added, "This has been happening for a very long time and eventually something very, very bad is going to happen."
While authorities work to capture Hank, they are also considering euthanizing the bear, the Times reported.
Tira, the Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson, said euthanizing Hank is the department's "last option," adding, "This is a bear that has lost all fear of people. It's a potentially dangerous situation.
A local group called the Bear League is fighting to prevent Hank from being euthanized, according to NBC News 4. In a statement posted to Facebook Sunday, the group claimed Hank was being "targeted for death by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW)."
They added, "The BEAR League is vehemently opposed to this plan, and we are frantically working to save his life by reaching out to various wildlife sanctuaries in hopes of finding him a safe home."