A Richmond, Virginia man who illegally fed bears for a decade in an alleged effort to protect them has been convicted. The man, who was not been publicly identified, was convicted Nov. 7 following years of reports of “unusual bear activity” near his property, NBC12 reported, citing the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. He claimed feeding the bears was a way to “protect” them from poachers and help those that were sick or hurt. The bears also reportedly had symptoms of sarcoptic mange, a skin condition caused by mites that are easily spread from animal to animal. A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment Friday morning.

Source: Fox News November 30, 2018 16:52 UTC