Why did Tennessee euthanize 13 bear cubs?

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency leadership held a press conference Thursday to explain their recent decision to euthanize bear cubs housed at the local Appalachian Bear Rescue.

University of Tennessee School of Natural Resources Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Dan Grove said during the press conference that the bears could still possibly carry disease they had out into the wild. As a result, state wildlife officials elected to euthanize 13 bear cubs to help protect the broader bear population.

Dr. David Unger, the Associate Professor of Biology at Maryville College, shared an outside perspective on why decisions like this are made. He explained more about the bacteria and tough wildlife decisions are often based on overall population health.

Unger explained even if an animal is no longer sick, the bacteria could still exist because they are harboring it. When they are put into the wild, the disease can spread and make it nearly impossible to contain.

"An example of this would be of the Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin beginning in 2002. They attempted to treat this disease. It was already in the wild and for the last 22 years they've made attempts by culling deer, by having hunters increase their take," Unger explained. "Yet, chronic wasting disease is still a problem. By taking a very difficult decision at a moment in time, you can prevent decades of hardship."

TWRA opted to look at the population from a broad long-term standing.

"When you're talking about a population of 6,000 bears in Tennessee, all of whom could eventually come under risk if this disease were to escape, it suddenly is put into a context that makes a great deal more sense," Unger added.

Unger notes that black bears have strong immune systems, so the fact that this bacteria was able sicken one to this extent suggests that it is a very serious illness.

This is not the first time ABR has delt with this bacteria. In 2023, several cubs also developed cases of pneumonia that veterinarians later discovered was linked to a specific streptococcus bacteria found in gallinaceous birds, such as domesticated chickens and turkeys. By the end of the illness, two of the bear cubs died. TWRA has made the decision not to bring in any additional bear cubs to ABR until they take measures to prevent future illness.

Appalachian Bear Rescue officials said in a statement Wednesday that they are committed to moving forward and forging a new relationship with TWRA.