THE REGION : Wildlife ‘SWAT Unit’ in Planning Stages

It would be organized like a SWAT team. But rather than being armed with high-powered rifles and special ammunition, members of this team would have tranquilizer guns and years of animal expertise.

Members of various animal organizations in Los Angeles County are discussing the formation of a countywide wildlife response program, at the core of which would be a “wildlife SWAT unit”--a team of animal experts that could be activated to respond to a wildlife emergency.

Motivated by a May 20 incident in Azusa in which police officers shot and killed a 350-pound California black bear that roamed through city streets, members of the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals/Southern California Humane Society, the Wildlife Waystation and other groups are advocating the formation of a uniform policy that could be followed by law enforcement and humane agencies.

“I think it’s feasible,” said Madeline Bernstein, executive director of the Humane Society.

Ideally, Bernstein said, team members--biologists, zoo veterinarians and other animal experts--would be residents of varied geographic areas. Advocates of the plan are working to identify team members and locate heliport pads that would transport the team to emergency sites. The policy would give specific tasks to all members at an emergency scene.