20 bears this year, 5 last year

Anchorage has put down twenty bears so far this year, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, up from five last year and eleven the year before. Nearly every one of this year's bears got into trouble the same way, going after trash and other easy food that people left out.

The problem has shown up across the city, including Government Hill, Abbott Loop, the Rabbit Creek area, Eagle River and Northeast Anchorage. Fish and Game says bears are opportunists looking for easy calories, and that slowing them down even a little, with a lid they can't get into, often sends them moving on.

Leaving trash where a bear can get it can cost a resident a 320 dollar fine. In parts of the city, including Girdwood and Government Hill, a bear-resistant can is required, not optional.

One of the city's major trash haulers says demand for bear-resistant carts is outpacing what it can supply this fall. Haulers that offer the carts say they typically add a few dollars to a customer's bill.

Chickens and fruit trees draw bears too. One Abbott Loop resident said residents are basically baiting bears into town by leaving attractants out, including trash set out the night before pickup.