A tranquilized male bear rests inside a trailer before his trip to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. / Courtesy photo by Austin Kimball
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A bear spotted several places around a Centralia neighborhood yesterday has been moved to a new home.
“I can tell you, we managed to tranquilize him – a male, about 3 to 4 years old – take him out of the area and into the Gifford Pinchot,” Washington Department of FIsh and Wildlife spokesperson Craig Bartlett said.
Authorities got calls about the black bear beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the 500 block of South Rock Street and then from locations such as West Chestnut Street, Bartlett said. There was also a sighting on Sky Meadow Drive.
Bartlett said wildlife officers are getting a lot of bear calls right now, as they are preparing to den and trying to beef up for the winter.
“This guy was seen snacking at a bird feeder earlier in the day,” he said.
Game officers arrived in the area around 4 p.m. The bear had climbed up a tree.
By about 8 p.m., he was captured and put in a trailer to head to the forest, he said. He should be all settled in now, Bartlett said.
“As always, the main thing to keep from attracting bears, is try not to feed them,” he said. “Like with bird feeders and garbage.”
•••
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife shares information about the black bears which live in Washington state, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
He should be all settled in by now. Really lets drop you off somewhere you have never been and see how quickly you get settled in.
Lucky bear. Had he been dancing down the centerline he might not have had the entire day to roam the streets. It seems odd this was allowed to happen and I’m glad nobody was injured! Concealed carry is sounding better all the time!