Mammoth Lakes Fires the Bear Whisperer

       The town of Mammoth Lakes, a mountain burgh in the Eastern Sierra, had a staff member whose job description included managing renegade bruins-the black bears of the southern Sierra.   Due to the millions plus who visit every year, encounters with hungry, aggressive bears became commonplace.   Town folk decided to pay a full time individual to help control the problem locally to prevent bad outcomes due to human/bear interactions.   Hence, the "bear whisperer" as he is called.
     He developed his own methods, based solely on his experience.   Not a biologist, not a circus maestro, not a doctor of anything, he talked to the animals, used noise makers, and generally harasses the animals to make them leave the immediate area to avoid contact.   It worked, for more than 2 decades.   But budget cuts forced the town to cut back the annual pay by half.  So he quit.
     Now what, given the increase in visitors this summer.  No doubt there will be more encounters and more complaints.  Hopefully, no injuries will result.   State rangers may euthanize offending bruins, as is the practice throughout California.   Repeat offenders are captured and relocated once.  Then, captured and euthanized for a repeat.   Most animal rights folks oppose the practice.  In Tahoma, the Bear League is an aggressive group of one that uses public shaming to counter behavior it fins offensive, despite destruction caused by bears.   Eventually, bears might have to go to online learning classes to be taught how to behave while living among humans.   Good luck.