I received an email from the senior center yesterday saying there had been a bear scare. The staff was preparing for opening the senior center soon, and they were also preparing for the drive-through lunches they do every weekday when a bear entered the building through a back door. Once it was seen they warned, mostly by screaming, that it was there and that everyone should close their office door. No one was hurt and nothing was damaged. The local police had already been aware the bear was in the neighborhood and was there to warn people when the bear came in. Apparently the bear was calm and curious but was encouraged to leave by the police.
The neatest thing about the email was this picture:
Photo courtesy by Carlos Baldonado
The bear is walking though our apartment complex and is in front of the building directly to the east of us. It was headed our way. How cool is that?!! I wasn’t aware of it at the time, otherwise I would have gotten my camera out too.
April 29, 2021
Cool, but would not want it in the house with me. LOL
Same here!
Way cool!
🙂
Yikes! Looks like a Brown Bear? We have bears here that go thru trash dumpsters.
They are officially black bears no matter what their color. The term “brown bear” refers to grizzlies, which are a lot more dangerous.
just WOW – I can’t even imagine a bear ANYWHERE. Are they out of hibernation and looking for food supplies, although that bear looks well rounded?
I’m sure they’re out of hibernation now, but apparently the bear at the senior center didn’t gravitate towards the food. That surprises me. It was calm and looking at its reflection in a TV screen in one of the classrooms.
There have been lots of bear sightings around here although I’ve never seen one myself. This is very cool so long as it occurred without anyone, including the bear, getting hurt.
Bear sightings aren’t that unusual here. The local newspaper had a picture of another bear several miles away. It was walking on a sidewalk next to a major road and apparently wasn’t bothered by cars going by.
You mean it totally ignored the very large sign saying “Bears are not allowed in this building. Please go for your stroll in a different area. Thanking you in advance.”
😀
Oh wow that is both cool and terrifying at the same time!
I live in a Illinois town alongside the Mississippi river and across the river in Iowa there was a bear spotted in the fields. Unfortunately a lot of people just went crazy and drove out to try to get a photo of him and the police were warning about them chasing the bear through the fields. Finally he turned and headed towards town and people were still driving around trying to find him and the poor thing got in the river and swam across to Illinois! The DNR was begging people to stay away. The concern was there could be some sort of tragic incident that will result in them having to put the bear down but luckily he made his way through the woods and last we heard was he was spotted in Missouri! I feel bad for him traveling so far. I totally understand people thinking how cool it is to see wildlife but on the other hand they should just leave these animals alone.
I agree with that! That’s why when I heard the crashing in the bushes years ago I walked the other way. If something was trying to get away from me I wasn’t about to harass it.
I have never seen a LIVE bear, and I am loving my view of this one. Of course i would be the first to close my office door. So happy they bear was no harmed and walked away under his own power…
I’m relieved too. And I would have gladly closed my office door. But I would have taken a picture from my porch if I had seen it walk by. Our apartment is on the second story.
Awesome that no one was harmed (including the bear).
Yes. 🙂
Wow! Can’t believe he went into the building.
I don’t know if the door was open or if it opened it. I know they can open trunks of cars and they sometimes go inside houses around here.
It is amazing how many stories we see these days of bears inside dwellings. Glad you were inside but it was fun to see.
Bears are smart. They do sometimes go inside houses around here.