Three bears slain in one day in NM

CEDAR CREST, N.M. (KRQE) - It's been a tough 24 hours for bears in the Albuquerque area, as three are now dead after they went near homes in search of food.

A man in Cedar Crest who felt threatened shot and killed a 200-pound bear. The bear was reportedly 15 feet from him. Another man shot and killed a 175-pound bear in Placitas after the bear attacked a llama.

Finally, wildlife officers say a 300-pound bear caught in a bear trap on a man's property died before it could be released. The bear was the second bear caught on Sean Escarcida's property in Cedar Crest in a week.

"They're hungry, just like everybody's been saying," Escarcida said.

An expanding bear population and a dry summer are reducing their food supply, forest officials said. With nowhere else to turn, bears are searching for food near homes. Officers remind residents to make sure trash is stored in sheds or garages to keep scent-sniffing bears away.