Rob Weisenbach and his sons had just seen black bears in captivity at a zoo near their home in Erie, Pennsylvania, Monday. But shortly thereafter they had an encounter with one in the wild, GoErie.com reported.
The Weisenbachs returned home to their Millcreek Township neighborhood only to find a year-and-a-half old male black bear traversing their streets and eating garbage. Weisenbach and his two sons, who were "all excited," followed the bear in a car and let neighbors know of its presence, according to GoErie.
Watch the bear walking around the neighborhood and near people's homes in this video by resident Chris Pianta:
By 8 p.m., a few hours after it had first been spotted, the bear scurried up a tree, came down after another hour and entered a wooded area, GoErie reported dispatcher Doug Bahrenburg saying.
A tranquilized bear sleeps in a tree behind 4006 Royal Avenue in Erie, Penn., on July 9, 2013. The 125-pound black bear was removed from the scene and released in state game lands. Neither the bear nor any onlookers were injured in the incident, which was reported at about 1 p.m. Tuesday. (AP Photo/Erie Times-News, Christopher Millette) MAGS OUT, TV OUT
The local police department contacted Pennsylvania Game Commission, which said it would not come out to deal with the bear unless it seemed violent or was being destructive.
By Tuesday afternoon though, the 125-pound animal was located, shot with a tranquilizer dart and taken into custody by the commission, which noted mother bears are beginning to send their young off by themselves at this point in the year.
State Wildlife Conservation Officer Mike Girosky pulls a tranquilized bear from a tree behind 4006 Royal Avenue in Erie, Penn. on July 9, 2013. The 125-pound black bear was removed from the scene and released in state game lands. Neither the bear nor any onlookers were injured in the incident, which was reported at about 1 p.m. Tuesday. (AP Photo/Erie Times-News, Christopher Millette)
Law enforcement officers remove a tranquilized bear that fell from a tree. (Photo: AP/Erie Times-News, Christopher Millette)
Officials said the bear was being relocated to a game park.
Here is GoErie's report:
Watch the tranquilized bear being dropped from the tree he was hiding in (although the fall might seem a bit harsh, an official can be heard saying "he's alright"):
According to Bear Country USA, male black bears can get up to 425 pounds in adulthood, reaching maturity by about age three.
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