These fines may seem high, but when you consider the panhandler bear is a threat to himself as well as to humans you can understand the fines are appropriate. Panhandlers, also known as habituated bears, live half as long as wild bears. They may be hit by cars. They are vulnerable to poachers in search of valuable bear gall bladders used in Asian folk medicine. Also, Black bears that habitually frequent trashcans are in danger of ingesting toxins in found in garbage and plastic food packaging.
Some bears die painful deaths after eating garbage and trash saturated with food smells.
The worse threat to a bear comes in the unfortunate case that the bear injures a human. Park bears that injure humans are quickly destroyed by the park service. The best way to discourage an aggressive bear is by loud noises. The park service suggests banging pots together or perhaps using a whistle. Both things scare and confuse the bears.