Anchorage

Anchorage homeless camp where cub was speared still attracting bears

The East Anchorage homeless camp where a black bear cub was speared to death last week was still intact Friday evening despite an eviction order from the city. Although the camp was not occupied by any people, a black bear was again rummaging through it.

Illegal campers at Centennial Park were served with an eviction notice Sept. 24 by the Anchorage Police Department. The cub and a sow repeatedly returned to the camp for food. But on Oct. 2, David Tandler, 49, speared the cub to death. Initial reports from police claimed the campers killed the cub because it was trying to get into a tent with children, although when officers arrived no children were in the area.

The camp was supposed to be vacated and cleaned up by Friday, but on Friday evening the area was covered in debris. The tent, complete with a mattress, was still standing. Clothes were scattered about, and children's bicycles were locked to a tree near a propane grill with a bag of onions and jars of spices on it. Empty pickle jars and tuna cans lay on the ground. In the middle of all of it stood a black bear on its hind legs.

After the cub was killed, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said it was likely the sow would return.

Eventually, the bear left the woods and went over to a pile of tarps and yellow trash bags next to the baseball field, where it ripped open a bag and tore apart a take-out food container.

Less than 10 minutes after the bear wandered back into the woods, a man and two puppies played in the field.

And about 20 yards from the first camp, another camp was set up.

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Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen didn't know if the sow had caused any more problems. The Department of Fish and Game could not be reached Friday afternoon.

Anchorage Police Department spokesperson Jennifer Castro said Community Work Service plans respond to the area Saturday to clean up the camp.

Tandler, 49, was not cited for killing the cub, but was cited for negligent feeding.

Megan Edge

Megan Edge is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News.

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