Black Bear Euthanized After Seen on Rincon Beach

(Screenshot from video by Henry Haber posted by Coastal View News)

A black bear was euthanized after wandering down to Rincon Point on Saturday afternoon.

The bear, estimated to be 300 pounds, was believed to have wandered down Rincon Creek then around the sand and several beachfront properties, reports Coastal View News.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Wardens responded to the bear sighting on the beach and monitored the bear. It was lethargic and confused and would not return to the woods on its own, said Andrew Hughan, Public Information Officer for California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

On Sunday, Game Wardens darted the bear and during an examination determined it was very unhealthy and needed to be taken to a veterinarian. According to the veterinarian, the bear could not be saved and decided to euthanize it, reports Hughan.

“It’s a difficult decision and without a full necropsy we will not be able to determine what happened and we are not going to do that for this animal. Often times they are hit by cars and have internal injuries or broken hips and survive to wander into populated areas. The bear was suffering and we can’t save them from catastrophic injuries,” said Hughan. 

The bear was returned to nature to decompose.