The black bear from Michigan that roamed through northern Indiana was captured and euthanized in Michigan over the weekend.
A trap was set about 10 days ago and the bear was captured Saturday night, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The bear was euthanized because it was used to people and recently attempted to break into two houses.
The bear was seen in St. Joseph County on the northwest side of South Bend and in Michigan City starting in June 2015. The wild animal mostly kept to wooded areas, but some homeowners in LaPorte and St. Joseph counties reported some damage to garbage bins, bird feeders and other outdoor property caused by the bear.
- RELATED: Black bear spotted in St. Joseph County northwest of South Bend, June 12, 2015
It was the first wild bear to be seen in Indiana since 1871. Black bears were once native to the Hoosier state, but their population was eradicated due to hunting and habitat loss.
The bear became a bit of a star on social media with the creation of the Hoosier Bear Twitter page. After news broke about the bear’s death, Hoosier Bear posted the following tweets:
Like they say in Game of Thrones, dead is not dead.
— Hoosier Bear (@bearindiana) April 12, 2016
There are several of us bears, although some have disappeared under Mt. Baldy and others succumbed to fireworks.
— Hoosier Bear (@bearindiana) April 12, 2016
Fear The Walking Dead (Bear).
— Hoosier Bear (@bearindiana) April 12, 2016
