Warden of La. Prison Says Bear is Unpaid Guard
A big black bear spotted on the grounds of the Louisiana State Penitentiary has a job to do.
Burl Cain, warden of the state prison known as Angola, told the Associated Press the bear is helping with prison security. “I love that bear being right where it is,” he said. “I tell you what, none of our inmates are going to try to get out after dark and wander around when they might run into a big old bear. It’s like having another guard at no cost to the taxpayer.”
Cain estimated the bear’s weight at about 450 pounds based on measurements of a footprint.
Maria Davidson, manager of the Large Carnivore Program for Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, says bears are shy and she doubts this one would be aggressive.
“We’ve never had a predatory attack by a black bear in Louisiana, to our knowledge, on pets or livestock,” she told AP. “As for a bear coming out and rushing an inmate, I don’t see that happening.”
