Rangers Can’t Bear It; Park Pest Sent to Backwoods
A 150-pound black bear who didn’t let car windows stand in the way of his passion for cold cuts, potato chips and soft drinks is being deported to the back country of the Smoky Mountains National Park.
Rangers said last week that the bear had been prowling the Rainbow Falls parking area, ripping out car windows to get at picnic lunches.
“He sticks his claws through the crack between the metal window frame and the roof of the car,” Ranger Len Weems explained. “Then to get leverage, he’ll prop his rear feet on the side of the car and rock back and forth until he can break out the window.”
Weems said that once inside the vehicle, the bear goes straight for the cold cuts.
“Then he’ll start on the corn chips, potato chips, cookies and fruit. After that, he’ll bite open a can of soda and wash it all down,” Weems said.
Rangers finally staked out the parking lot, caught the bear in mid-pull on a car window and shot it with a tranquilizer dart.
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