Black Bear Enters Alaska Military Base Commissary, Steals a Peach
A young black bear wandered into the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) commissary in Alaska on July 5, 2024 (or July 9, 2026, per conflicting reports), entered through automatic sliding doors, browsed the produce section, ate a peach, and left without incident. Conservation officers later guided the bear into nearby woods. The base had recently installed bear-resistant dumpsters to reduce wildlife encounters. The event was non-confrontational, though it follows separate bear attacks on soldiers in 2024 and 2022, and seven bears have been euthanized on base in the past year due to habituation.
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Black Bear Enters Alaska Commissary to Eat a Peach
A young black bear wandered into the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER) Exchange commissary in Alaska on July 9, 2026, at 9:00 am, drawn by the lure of fresh fruit. The bear sauntered through the sliding doors, selected a peach, ate it, and then left the building. The incident was captured on video and widely shared on social media. Conservation Law Enforcement officers responded and guided the bear toward Ship Creek and into the woods. Base officials noted that the bear was foraging non-aggressively. The base had replaced all dumpsters with bear-resistant variants in May, reducing wildlife calls. However, Conservation Officer Marshall Hickman reported that seven bears have been euthanized on JBER this year due to habituation to humans. The incident follows two recent bear attacks on soldiers during training exercises, including a fatal attack in 2022.
Military TimesBlack bear enters Alaska commissary, picks a peach and leaves
A young black bear wandered into the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER) Exchange commissary in Alaska on July 9, 2026, at 9:00 am, drawn by the scent of fruit. The bear selected a peach, ate it, and exited without incident. Base conservation officers arrived and guided the bear toward Ship Creek and into the woods. The base's wildlife program manager noted the bear was foraging non-aggressively. The incident follows a series of bear encounters on the base, including two soldiers injured during a land navigation exercise months earlier and a fatal bear attack in 2022. The base had recently replaced dumpsters with bear-resistant bins, reducing wildlife calls. However, seven bears have been euthanized on JBER this year due to habituation to humans. The story was first reported by Task & Purpose and confirmed by base spokesperson Maria Galvez.
Military TimesBlack Bear Enters Alaska Commissary, Enjoys a Peach
A young black bear wandered into the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER) Exchange in Alaska on July 9, 2026, at 9:00 am, passing through sliding doors to forage for food. The bear selected a peach from the front section, ate it, and left the building. Conservation law enforcement officers arrived and guided the bear toward Ship Creek and into the woods. Base officials noted that bear-resistant dumpsters installed in May have reduced wildlife calls, but seven bears have been euthanized on JBER this year due to habituation to humans. The incident follows a defensive bear attack on two soldiers in April 2026 and a fatal attack in 2022. The bear was deemed non-aggressive and foraging naturally.
Army TimesBlack Bear Enters Alaska Commissary, Eats Peach
A young black bear wandered into the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) commissary in Alaska on July 9, 2026, at 9:00 am, attracted by the scent of fruit. The bear sauntered through the sliding doors, selected a peach from the front section, ate it, and then left. Conservation officers arrived and guided the bear toward Ship Creek and into the woods. The base had recently installed bear-resistant dumpsters, reducing wildlife calls. However, seven bears have been euthanized on JBER this year due to habituation to humans. The incident follows a history of bear encounters on the base, including a 2022 fatal attack and a 2026 defensive attack that injured two soldiers.
Army TimesBlack bear enters Alaska commissary, steals a peach
A young black bear wandered into the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER) commissary in Alaska on July 9, 2026, drawn by the lure of a ripe peach. The bear entered through sliding doors at 9:00 am, selected a peach, and left without incident. Conservation officers arrived and guided the bear toward Ship Creek and into the woods. The base had recently replaced dumpsters with bear-resistant versions, reducing wildlife calls. However, seven bears have been euthanized on JBER this year due to habituation to humans. The incident follows previous bear attacks on soldiers, including a fatal attack in 2022 and an injury in a land navigation exercise earlier in 2026.
Army TimesBlack bear enters Alaska commissary, steals a peach
A young black bear wandered into the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER) Exchange commissary in Alaska on July 9, 2026, at 9:00 am, drawn by the scent of fruit. The bear selected a peach, ate it, and left without incident. Base conservation officers arrived and guided the bear toward Ship Creek and into the woods. The bear was foraging non-aggressively, according to the base wildlife program manager. The base had replaced dumpsters with bear-resistant bins in May, reducing wildlife calls. However, seven bears have been euthanized on JBER this year due to habituation to humans. The incident follows a defensive bear attack on two soldiers during a land navigation exercise months earlier, and a fatal bear attack on a soldier near the same base in 2022.
Military TimesBear enters commissary at Alaska military base, steals peach
A young black bear wandered into the commissary at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska on July 5, 2024, entering through automatic sliding doors. The bear browsed the produce section, ate a peach, and left on its own. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the incident was 'entirely incidental' and non-confrontational. Conservation officers later coaxed the bear into nearby woods. The base has since introduced bear-resistant dumpsters to reduce such encounters. Alaska is home to about 100,000 black bears, and similar incidents are not uncommon. The article also notes that two soldiers were injured in a bear attack at the same base in April 2024, and that seven bears have been euthanized in the past year due to public safety risks.
Task & PurposeCurious Bear Enters Commissary on Alaska Military Base, Steals a Peach
A curious bear wandered into a commissary on an Alaska military base, according to an Air Force spokesperson. The bear made its way down a hallway into the store, where it helped itself to a peach before leaving the building. No injuries or further incidents were reported. The event occurred at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, though the exact date was not specified. The bear's brief visit highlights the frequent wildlife encounters in Alaska, where bears often roam near human settlements and military installations.
Task & PurposeCurious bear wanders into commissary on Alaska military base, helps itself to a peach
A young black bear entered the commissary at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska on July 5, 2024, via automatic sliding doors. The bear browsed the produce section, ate a peach, and left without incident. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the event was 'entirely incidental' and the bear displayed non-confrontational foraging behavior. Conservation officers later coaxed the bear into nearby woods. The article notes that large wildlife entering buildings via automatic doors is common in Alaska, and that JBER has reduced bear incidents by introducing bear-resistant dumpsters. It also references a separate bear attack on soldiers in April 2024 and notes that seven bears have been euthanized on the base over the past year due to public safety risks.
Task & Purpose