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.
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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.