Black Bear Put Down After Putting Idaho Camper's Foot In Mouth

KETCHUM, ID — Wildlife managers at a popular Idaho recreation area killed a black bear suspected of putting a camper's foot in its mouth and rubbing against another person reading near a stream.

The string of bear encounters over the past three weeks also included bothering campers as they slept, state Department of Fish and Game spokesman Kelton Hatch said. The woman who had her foot in the bear's mouth woke up because of the pressure. She wasn't hurt.

In each instance, the bear was frightened away when campers yelled, Hatch said. But it was clearly habituated to human food and contact. (For more Across Idaho news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Department workers trapped the bear Saturday at a campground near the Sawtooth National Recreation Area headquarters north of Ketchum, and took it to a different site to be put down.

Hatch said people should keep their campsites clean and store food in vehicles or high in a tree.

The agency said more information about bear safety is available at the website Be Bear Aware .

Photo credit: Jitze Couperus via Flickr/Creative Commons