Beloved bear killed after swiping at woman in CA. Now a tribe honors it with burial
A black bear considered sacred to a local tribe and beloved by wildlife advocates in California was given a ceremonial burial after officials tossed its body in a dump.
The bear, known among locals as Victor for a white V-shaped marking on his chest, swiped at a woman as she recorded the encounter from a tree stump between the bear and food he was after, video shows.
“Folks and Friends, we are all hearing stories about what happened at lake Mary last night,” local bear advocate Steve Searles, also known as The Bear Whisperer, said in an Aug. 22 post on Facebook. “Here is the video and audio.”
(This video includes language that may be offensive to some viewers.)
“Oh, he’s enjoying our steak right now,” the person recording says as someone makes noise to try to scare the bear away. But the bear is adamant, spilling the campers’ wine as he turns toward what appears to be a grill.
The woman records the bear from the tree stump as he passes closely by her, but then he turns and swipes at her legs.
The swipe caused “deep lacerations” that required “immediate medical intervention,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement shared by the Mammoth Lakes Police Department on Facebook on Aug. 28.
“Unfortunately, the bear became habituated to human sources of food,” the department said.
It wasn’t the first dangerous encounter between a person and the bear, the department said.
“On August 10, a man incurred minor injuries while attempting to take a selfie with the bear,” the department said. “However, CDFW determined that the bear was provoked in this incident and no further actions were taken against the bear.”
The department deemed the bear a threat to public safety and killed it, the statement says.
“CDFW personnel took the bear to the Bishop landfill and requested an immediate burial to prevent scavengers from accessing the carcass” — which was contaminated with euthanizing drugs, the statement says.
Searles took a photo of the carcass and posted it on Facebook.
“Mammoth Folks and Friends, as the story of our friend Victor goes around the world, as we struggle to understand, as we share our thoughts to do better, as we dry our tears. This is the last picture of him,” Searles said in the post. “He was discarded on the ground at the dump in Bishop. I’m so sorry, but I owe you all the truth as bad as it is.”
The Bishop Paiute Tribe intervened and recovered the carcass to give the beloved bear a proper burial.
“The Bishop Paiute Tribe and its community are deeply mourning the loss of one of their sacred relatives, Victor the Pahabichi, who was tragically killed and discarded at the Bishop-Sunland Landfill,” the Tribe said in a statement. “Upon learning of the incident, the Tribe swiftly acted to recover Victor and ensure he received the respect and ceremony he deserved.”
Tribal members gathered with their community “to send Victor off in a respectful and heartfelt manner” in a “powerful and emotional tribute, featuring prayers, songs, and offerings,” the statement said. The ceremony also acknowledged “their role as visitors on Pahabichi homelands.”
“The Bishop Paiute Tribal Council intends to meet with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife to address these concerns and seek a better understanding to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future,” the statement says.
Searles posted another tribute to the bear on Facebook after the ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
“Folks and Friends, early this morning our friend Victor was exhumed from the bishop landfill and transported to his final resting spot,” Searles said. “He was treated with love, respect, grace and honor. ... Much gratitude to the people that made the worst day much better.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2024 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Beloved bear killed after swiping at woman in CA. Now a tribe honors it with burial."
