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Assembly OKs seasonal bear cop

Anchorage Daily News

Published: April 14th, 2009 10:02 PM
Last Modified: September 21st, 2009 07:25 PM

The Anchorage Assembly passed a resolution late Tuesday night to hire a seasonal bear officer to handle problem animals that threaten public safety.

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The resolution, proposed by Assemblyman Bill Starr, will allow the city to contract a wildlife safety specialist to track bears and "take appropriate action" against those that cause problems.

The Assembly voted 8-2 in favor of the resolution following amendments that stripped it of language requesting the Board of Game authorize increased hunting in select areas such as the Hillside and Eagle River.

Also removed was phrasing that specifically authorized the specialist to relocate and destroy problem bears.

The resolution had been kicked around for months, prompted by a high number of bear attacks and encounters in Anchorage last summer.

Starr said the Department of Fish and Game is mainly focused on managing wildlife, and that the city needs to focus on protecting its citizens.

"I don't get a sense that in the management of wildlife, the citizens' safety will come first," Starr said.