Bears act like friendly dogs due to a strange brain condition

An enigmatic ailment is to make black bears friendly and fearless to humans, including strange symptoms.

Researchers believe the disease, which is apparently young bears about a year old, is a type of encephalitis, which means an inflammation of the brain, according to a news release from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife late last month. Since 2014, a handful of bears in Nevada and California have shown signs of the condition, and it has been confirmed that four California bears have had it in the past year.

“The first bear I personally rescued was diagnosed with encephalitis in March 2018,” Ann Bryant of the Bear Education Aversion Response told Live Science. “She walked into a school and entered a classroom where she sat among the children and behaved very much like a friendly dog.”

Is an American black bear a raspberry in a forest.


noemie lang / 500px via Getty Images

Is an American black bear a raspberry in a forest.

The encephalitis has other serious effects on the bears, including tremor, head tilt and seizures. Affected riders also tend to be severely underweight. One female bear, which was observed in February picking up an apple and eating it among people on a veranda, weighed only 21 pounds when she should have been about 80 pounds. She was also covered in ticks, walked strangely and was eventually killed.

It is still unclear exactly what causes the encephalitis. But while studying the phenomenon, scientists have identified five previously unknown viruses in the infected bears.

These viruses are believed to pose no risk to humans, Jamie Sherman, a veterinarian at the University of California, a Davis health institute, told the Sacramento Bee.

Bears suffering from encephalitis usually need to be killed. Their symptoms mean that they are not equipped to survive in the wild, and those placed in zoos or sanctuaries can become a major burden because of their lifelong medical care they need, said Brandon Munk, veterinarian at the wildlife, said in the CFDW release.

However, two bears that have been showing neurological problems in recent years have been able to find new homes. One, now Elinor, was brought to the Orange County Zoo. The other bear, who went viral after being caught on camera while sniffing a snowboarder and is now named Benji, lives in the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. Last month, Benji celebrated his third birthday there with a cake made from fruits and mashed potatoes.

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