Black bear climbs tree and takes a nap in Madison
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A black bear made its way through Madison’s west side, climbed a tree and took a nap on Saturday. The Madison Police Department received several calls about a black bear sighting until they located it at a home on the city’s southwest side. ”I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a bear roaming the front of my yard,” Dominique Smith said. ”I posted the video to Facebook and a lot of people responded and were like, ‘Oh my gosh! Where is this?’ And I’m like ‘The west side of Madison!’” Smith’s front yard doorbell camera caught footage of a black bear walking across her Park Ridge neighborhood property at approximately 11:15 p.m. Friday night.
Next, the bear was found in Craig Newman’s backyard. ”It’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be,” Newman said. A neighbor called Newman and then the police to say the bear had found its way into his yard and then climbed a tree, eventually taking a nap. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Julie Widholm said the bear is not aggressive, and she hopes it will eventually wander outside of Madison’s city limits.
“In general, bear range in Wisconsin is expanding; I’d say we get yearly reports of bears on the western edge of Dane County so while this is somewhat rare its not surprising,” Widholm said. “We encourage people to give the bear its space. Keeping your yard free of food waste and other wildlife attractants like outdoor pet food is also encouraged not only for bears but for other urban wildlife.”
Newman does not have other pets to worry about, so he plans to let the bear be. MPD officers on scene said they would continue to keep an eye on the bear. As of sunset on Saturday, Newman said the bear was still in the tree, but asks that the public avoid the area so the bear can feel comfortable climbing down and leaving.
Video at link: https://www.nbc15.com/2023/04/30/black-bear-climbs-tree-takes-nap-madison/
= new reply since forum marked as read
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A bear was wandering around near Verona Road Saturday morning, according to the Madison Police Department. Officials said someone spotted the bear at about 4:45 a.m. Saturday morning at the end of Freeport Road and Verona Road, towards the Home Depot. The DNR advised Madison Police to leave the bear alone to find its own way out of the city after MPD called to follow up with them.
DNR Wildlife Biologist for Dane county Julie Widholm said DNR and USDA Wildlife Services have been keeping up with reported sighting and are monitoring the situation, but have not received any reports of destructive or aggressive behaviors from the bear, so they are hopeful the bear will find its way out of the Madison area on its own.
Another bear was spotted in Middleton in 2021 and also left the city on its own accord, Widholm said. She added the bear population in Wisconsin is expanding, so while reports of bears in Dane County are somewhat rare, they are not surprising.
In a post by MPD Friday, after another bear was spotted in Mount Horeb, officials reminded people that bears typically are not aggressive and tend to be skittish. If they spot one, people should stay calm, not run away, and not approach the bear. It also included a link to the DNR’s recommendations for what to do to avoid a confrontation.
Do not knowingly feed a bear
Completely remove bird feeders, even during daytime hours – Bears are active during the day and may cause problems even if the feeders are out only during that time
Clean areas where bird feeders were located so that accumulated deposits of spilled seed are removed
Reduce garbage odors by rinsing food cans before putting them in covered recycling containers or garbage cans
Keep meat scraps in the freezer until garbage day, and if possible, keep garbage cans in a closed building until the morning of pick-up
Be sure to lock commercial dumpsters
Keep pet food inside or inaccessible to bears even during daytime hours
Keep barbeque grills and picnic tables clean
https://www.nbc15.com/2023/04/29/bear-spotted-by-home-depot-verona-mpd-says/
I wonder if its the same bear, or if there is more than one wandering around this densely populated area. I'd love to know how he got across the beltline safely!
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