The recent killing of a brown bear and her three cubs in the Alaskan community of Eagle River has left locals feeling saddened and angry.
All four bears were killed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Aug. 7, after the bears had entered a home with chickens kept inside.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, the bears had become known around the area, which includes a portion of Chugach State Park, after they were first spotted as a family unit last summer.
The Daily News reported that the killing of the bears, which was not publicized by the Department of Fish and Game, stirred emotions and sparked debate over how to properly raise livestock in bear country.
The homeowner, it turned out, had been keeping chickens inside because she had not
yet installed an electrified chicken coop outside. (Electrified coops are recommended for those who raise chickens in Alaska's bear country.)
The Department of Fish and Game told the Daily News that it had no choice but to kill the bears, which were deemed a public threat the moment they entered the home.
One Eagle River resident said locals remained in "mourning" over the bears' sudden lethal removal.
Folks can view the Daily News story via this link. It includes comments from the biologist who, with another Fish and Game employee, shot the bears.
It also contains input from the homeowner, who said she was still traumatized by what had happened.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Alaskan community rocked after state kills mama brown bear, 3 cubs
