Beloved Black Bear ‘Hank The Tank’ Will Roam Free After DNA Evidence Proves He Was Framed

'Hank The Tank' Will Roam Free As DNA Proves Black Bear Was Framed

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  • The world can breathe a sigh of relief thanks to the latest development in the saga of the black bear known as “Hank the Tank”
  • Officials say Hank is no longer a target for euthanization thanks to DNA evidence that proves other bears were responsible for some of the break-ins he was accused of committing
  • Read more weird news here

Earlier this week, the internet found a new folk hero in the form of “Hank the Tank,” a 500-pound black bear who was supposedly responsible for breaking into over two dozen homes in a California town in search of leftover pizza and other food.

Authorities in South Lake Tahoe deployed an arsenal that included paintball guns and Tasers in their unsuccessful attempts to deter Hank from returning to the gated community he’d appeared to develop a fondness for. Officials tasked with cracking down on the spree said they were exploring the possibility of relocating him to another area, but thanks to the lack of space at nearby sanctuaries, they admitted euthanization wasn’t off the table.

That did not sit well with people who couldn’t bear the idea of seeing Hank befall the same fate as Harambe, and the police department handling the case was forced to ask concerned citizens to stop phoning in to share their opinion after being inundated with calls.

Thankfully, it appears this story will have a happy ending, as NPR reports Hank the Tank will avoid that grisly fate thanks to a fairly stunning development: DNA evidence that proves he was framed!

According to the outlet, members of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife tested samples plucked from various homes and determined three different bears—including two females—had a hand in the ransacking (it appears some eyewitnesses may have falsely identified the other black bears as Hank, which I believe is commonly referred to as an “apologue”).

As a result, the plan is to now trap and relocate any “habituated” bears to a new location away from populated areas where they can happily do bear things for the remainder of their days.

Connor Toole avatar and headshot for BroBible
Connor Toole is the Deputy Editor at BroBible. He is a New England native who went to Boston College and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Frequently described as "freakishly tall," he once used his 6'10" frame to sneak in the NBA Draft and convince people he was a member of the Utah Jazz.