Alberta grizzly bear euthanized after search in Kananaskis

A 23-year-old grizzly bear was put down Wednesday after she had become too reliant on human food following an awful berry season, Alberta Parks said Friday.

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Known as Bear 88, the female grizzly injured herself after recently breaking into a trailer, which only added to her problems.

Conservation officer Arian Spiteri said a necropsy revealed she was suffering in other ways.

"All of her teeth except for two were worn down completely to the gumline and the remaining two were fractured. We assume with those types of injuries to her teeth she would have been suffering significant pain," Spiteri said.

Alberta Parks was able to confirm through DNA that Bear 88 had broken into trailers and caused damage to vehicles last month in search of food, and in some cases people were present.

Officials had issued a warning to hunters about the bear in late October after it evaded capture in Kananaskis Country.

Spiteri said the grizzly had previously raised cubs and lived a relatively long life compared to the average life expectancy of 25 years, but the "very unfortunate" situation can lead to improved public education.

"It stresses the importance of us keeping human food and garbage secure from bears," she said.

"When bears start to learn that human food can be an easy source of calories then behaviours like this can result and we need to keep bears wild."