A 250-pound black bear was rescued from a Colorado home’s window well, prompting rescuers to drop it off three hours away.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo — A 250-pound black bear stumbled into a Colorado window well and needed rescuing.
The bear took advantage of the awkward situation. Kristen Nedbalek she spotted the bear taking a nap in the unusual place when she returned to her home in Falcon, Colorado, just outside of Colorado Springs.
“When we first came down here, you know, lights were off. It was quiet and it was just sleeping,” she told CNN. “While I was waiting, I just sat here for like a good 20 minutes just watching it, It was just very surreal.”
After calling for help, and letting the black bear snooze in his temporary den, wildlife officials arrived and tranquilized the bear.
They had to lift it through the basement window and home to eventually get it out.
The bear was released roughly three hours away in a habitat more suitable for bears — and far from window wells.
Travis Lau, with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, told WPMT it’s not uncommon for black bears to wander into neighborhoods this time of year.
“The big driver of movement into areas where bears typically aren’t is the dispersal of yearling juvenile bears,” Lau said.
Young male bears can travel up to 14 miles in search of a new home. Trash cans, bird feeders and pet food can also lure bears into developed areas.
What to do if you find a bear
“If you were to happen to open the door and there is a bear in the backyard, to whistle, to call out to it, to somehow get that bear’s attention usually is enough to send the bear off,” Lau said.
Black bear attacks are rare, but they do happen. Two hikers were attacked by “one or more” bears in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming this week.
While they may not frequently hurt people, bears may become aggressive if they feel cornered. Experts recommend dog owners to not engage if they encounter a bear.
Bearwise.org also encourages keeping aware of your surroundings if you know bears could be nearby, and removing “attractants” once the bear is gone.