A sow bear and her three cubs were killed after multiple vehicle collisions.
Jeff Selinger with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game told KSRM that the sow and one of her offspring were hit and killed on mile marker 57 on the Sterling Highway north of Skilak Lake Road on October 21, 2020. Two days later one of the remaining cubs was hit by another vehicle.
Selinger reports that the third remaining cub kept returning to the scene of the accident and had to be put down, “The third cub of the group continued to go into the roadway and continued to cause traffic hazards. Its chances of survival are low being a yearling bear on its own for the first time loosing the sow and the other siblings. At that time, the troopers decided to dispatch the third cub as well.”
This is the time of year wildlife can be seen venturing out on the roadways. Selinger advises the following safe driving tips:
- Pay attention to the roadways.
- Don’t drive distracted.
- Scan the sides of the road as well as the center.
- Drive slower in areas where animals are seen regularly.