Hank the Tank

Hank the Tank (also known as Henrietta ) is a five-hundred pound female American black bear that lived in Tahoe Keys, California before being captured and relocated to Colorado. Hank, known to wildlife officials as Bear 64F, became notable for press coverage of her "ransacking" the Lake Tahoe community, breaking into houses in search of food and causing property damage. Overall, she broke into over 20 homes. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said that Hank had lost her fear of people,   and it was thought that the year-round availability of food meant that Hank had not been hibernating, as is also the case for around twenty percent of the bears in the area.

At one point, Hank stood accused of breaking into thirty houses, but DNA evidence later showed that the break-ins included the work of at least two other bears.

In February 2022, there was some talk of euthanizing Hank, though the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said that would only be a last resort. When Fish and Wildlife discovered that Hank was not solely responsible for the home invasions in Tahoe Keys, the department embarked on a program of tagging and DNA analysis on the region's bears. No bears would be killed during this process, the department promised.

Three wildlife sanctuaries offered a home to Hank while the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was conducting its 2022 search for the bear. A wildlife advocacy group, the BEAR League, promised to pay all expenses involved in relocating the bear. Ann Bryant, BEAR's executive director, said that locals do not want the bear killed. "Long-time residents of Lake Tahoe know how to live in harmony with bears, who all have names," Bryant said. Bryant blames Hank's invasive behavior on an influx of new homeowners who bought into Lake Tahoe because of the work at home movement, driven by COVID-19. "These newcomers do not secure their garbage, leave food in their cars, and leave doors and windows open," she said.

On August 7, 2023, Hank and her three cubs were captured by Californian wildlife officers after being on the run for more than a year. Hank was transported to the Wild Animal Sanctuary, near Springfield, Colorado. The CDFW has labelled Hank a "conflict bear" and stated that such bears are usually euthanized. Hank was relocated because of the "community interest" and "popularity" of the bear. Hank's cubs, however, were relocated to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in hopes they can unlearn the habit of breaking into human homes. Rescuers hope the cubs can be released into the wild after rehabilitation.