SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Missouri wildlife officials say they euthanized a black bear in the southwest part of the state this week because someone in the area was feeding it, causing the animal to no longer avoid humans.
The Missouri Department of Conservation said the 250-pound bear in Christian County couldn't be relocated to a more remote location, because once a bear associates people with food, it will continue to seek residences or neighborhoods in search of food.
Regional wildlife supervisor Tim Russell said the bear had been seen many times snooping around a home. The animal had become a persistent nuisance and threat to a homeowner, who reported the animal to wildlife officials. She added she wasn't the one to feed it.
"In one instance, it walked up to an open patio door and partially came into the house," Russell said. "It was following its nose and making decisions with its stomach. Unfortunately, if someone startled it or cornered it, it could take a swipe and cause some damage."
The department worked with the homeowner on ways to deter the bear, including shooting a gun into the air to make noise and scare it off, but it still came back looking for food.
Wildlife staff captured the bear last month in the homeowner's yard. They euthanized the animal on Monday.
Researcher Jeff Beringer with the department called the need to kill the bear "a sad situation."
"This stuff is going to happen again as long as people feed bears," Beringer said. "It's not worth the short entertainment value you get watching them eat food you put out, knowing they might eventually have to be killed."