Monrovia residents maintain memorial stroll for euthanized bear – NBC Los Angeles
Dozens of individuals gathered at a Monrovia park on Saturday to mourn the lack of a mom bear that was euthanized after the California Division of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) mentioned she harmed two individuals.
Crowds shuffled into Library Park Saturday afternoon, holding photographs of the California black bear and indicators memorializing the animal. The bear, affectionately nicknamed “Blondie” by residents within the space, was the mom of two cubs.
The choice to euthanize her got here after she swiped at a lady who was strolling her canine in Monrovia final week. Following the assault, “Blondie” was tranquilized and captured to gather DNA samples, which decided she was the identical bear that clawed at an aged man on his porch final summer season.
Following the 2 assaults on individuals, CDFW deemed the bear a public menace and made the choice to euthanize her.
A number of Monrovia residents expressed outrage on the resolution, saying they’d have most well-liked if wildlife officers had dealt with the scenario in a different way.
“One thing the place there’s a program the place we are able to relocate them additional away into pure habitat could be so ideally suited,” mentioned Ashley Howie-Storms, who was on the memorial stroll for “Blondie.” “It breaks my coronary heart that euthanasia was an on the spot reply for this bear as a result of she was a beloved bear in our neighborhood.”
Emily Truong, one other attendant of the memorial stroll, agreed.
A bear that attacked a lady in Monrovia was tranquilized for DNA testing. Tracey Leong reviews for the NBC4 Information at 11 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
“We’d like, all must do our half to understanding wildlife and educating ourselves and attempting to not hurt our wildlife as a lot as doable,” she mentioned.
Cort Klopping, a CDFW spokesperson, mentioned the euthanasia resolution was not one which was made frivolously.
“It isn’t one thing that we wish to do, however public security is firstly of significance to us,” he mentioned.
“This isn’t the primary time that this bear has had this type of an interplay with a human, in order that makes it extra regarding,” Klopping mentioned. “It lends itself to extra of a sample of habits reasonably than a one-off.”
Wildlife specialists mentioned the bear doubtless was performing on intuition in the latest assault to guard her infants. These cubs are actually within the care of a wildlife rehabilitation facility and might be launched again into their pure habitat as soon as they’re sufficiently old.
