Nevada Uses Karelian Bear Dogs to Haze Human‑Habituated Bears

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has deployed specially trained Karelian Bear Dogs, such as Badger, Banjo, and others, to manage black bears that have become accustomed to human food sources around Lake Tahoe and Carson City. The dogs flush bears from urban hide‑outs, locate injured animals and, after the bears are tranquilized and released, chase and nip at them to re‑establish a natural fear of people. NDOW staff Carl Lackey, who started the program three decades ago, and his successor Becca Carniello oversee the effort, noting, “We’re just trying to give them a bad experience around people.”

Nevada’s black‑bear population has recovered from about 30 individuals in the 1980s to roughly 600‑700 today, prompting increased human‑bear encounters. To curb attractants, Carson City enacted a bear‑resistant trash ordinance requiring secured containers and prohibiting feeding bears. NDOW spokeswoman Kenzie Margiott emphasized that eliminating unsecured garbage is the most effective long‑term solution, stating, “Once a bear receives a food reward, it is likely to continue returning to that area.” The combined use of Karelian Bear Dogs and stricter trash regulations aims to protect both residents and wildlife while preserving the bears’ natural wariness of humans.