Bear near Verdi relocated; traps set in Incline

A 325-pound black bear that was captured by the Nevada Department of Wildlife in Verdi was released this morning in the Gold Ranch area.

The 6-year-old male was captured Tuesday in a culvert trap set near a residence where it was doing some damage to property.

This bear caught near Verdi on July 23 was released today. Photo/NDOW

“This bear has never been in trouble before, making it a perfect candidate for our aversion conditioning program,” Carl Lackey, bear biologist with the state agency, said in a statement.

On July 23, NDOW set a trap in Incline Village in response to complaints of a nuisance bear in one of the forested neighborhoods of that community. “Unfortunately, we’ve had people sabotaging our traps, keeping us from capturing the nuisance bears in Incline Village,” said Chris Healy, spokesman for NDOW, said. “Instead of saving bears, the individuals and groups interfering with our public safety mission could be creating more aggressive and dangerous bears that are being allowed to become habituated to humans. For the sake of public safety and common sense, the deliberate sabotaging of traps needs to stop.”

 — Lake Tahoe News staff report