Bears released back into the Tahoe wild

RENO -- Five orphaned black bears have been released back into the wild at Lake Tahoe after nearly a year in captivity.

The bears were released Thursday in the Carson Range on Tahoe's east shore by a team of wildlife specialists led by Nevada Department of Wildlife biologist Carl Lackey.

The bears were rescued last year in the Carson Valley or Tahoe Basin after their mothers died. Then they were taken to a Boise, Idaho, wildlife center known for preserving animals' natural fear of man.

"We teach these bears to be wild bears," Lackey told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "Success for us means that a bear does not return to a developed area, which means they should be scared of people. We have a good success rate. Of the 12 or 13 cubs we've (rescued), only one came back."

Team members shout and chase the bears after they are released, and dogs are used to chase the bruins deep into the forest.

Last year, the Wildlife Department responded to a record number of bear-related problems in the Reno-Tahoe area.