Man pleads guilty to taking 2 baby bears from their den

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California wildlife officials say a Northern California man who admitted to taking two bear cubs from their den and notified officials after he was unable to care for them pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited species. They say 29-year-old Cody Dylon Setzer and a co-worker took the month-old bears from their den in 2019. The baby bears were taken to a rehabilitation center in Lake Tahoe and released back to the wild in 2020. Setzer pleaded guilty in Siskiyou Superior Court in November to possession of a prohibited species and obstructing a peace officer in the course of his duties. The department published the story Tuesday on its blog about bears to encourage anyone who may witness wildlife poaching to contact authorities.