State wildlife officials captured and euthanized five black bears in northwestern Montana over the past couple of days after neighbors complained a Heron-area resident was feeding them.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks Warden Capt. Lee Anderson says the bears were extremely habituated and food conditioned and posed a danger to people who lived in the Heron area, near the Montana-Idaho border.
One of the adult male bears weighed 485 pounds while an 18-year-old female weighed 290 pounds. Anderson says the weights are unusually high for black bears.
Officials will continue to monitor the area to make sure all the habituated bears have been removed.
FWP is working with the Sanders County attorney to determine if charges will be filed for violating the state law that prohibits the feeding of wildlife. The food sources have been removed.