Perhaps he’s learned his lesson.

Staffers at Mount Rainier National Park believe a young black bear has gotten the message that hanging around the garbage containers at Paradise isn’t the best place to be.

Mount Rainier National Park
A small black bear leaps out of a trap at Paradise on Oct. 15 as park rangers stand by. The used rubber bullets and loud noisemakers to scare the bear away. The photo was taken by Jill Baum, Mount Rainier Student Conservation Association program director.

Ellen Myers, acting park wildlife biologist, sent me an e-mail saying: “The bear we ‘educated’ may have decided to leave the area because of a combination of events -- the aversive conditioning, public education by volunteers and employees and the change in weather (there is snow at Paradise) that has encouraged its exodus.

“The bear we shepherded hasn't been seen in the Paradise area since (Oct. 16).”

Myers said it is too soon to say for sure, but she’s hoping the bear won’t be back.

The bear, believed to be a 2-year-old, was causing some concern at the end of the season at Paradise. Staffers at the inn found it sitting on a garbage container one afternoon. The bear also took some food left by a visitor staying at the inn. It also broke a dining room window at the inn. The bear didn’t seem bothered by humans.

Park staff eventually were able to trap the bear and used noisemakers, rubber bullets and bean bags to chase the bear out of the area. Myers said they wanted to teach the bear that it would be better off away from the developed area.

Myers added that a smaller cinnamon colored black bear was seen in the Paradise area, but it was acting appropriately, grazing on huckleberries but not getting too close to the general public.