The juvenile black bear that was shot down from a tree in Schenectady’s Stockade neighborhood on Thursday is in good condition and headed back to the wild, officials said this morning.
“He’s doing fine,” said State Department of Conservation spokesman Rick Georgeson. “After a night in the trap, I’m sure he’s ready to be released and get back to his freedom.
The bear spent more than two hours in a tree in the Stockade section of the city Thursday afternoon before a state DEC officer hit him with two tranquilizer darts, causing the bear to fall about 50 feet to the ground, where officials were waiting to take it away.
The bear, which was affectionately named “Barry” by the interested onlookers, spent the night at DEC’s Stamford facility in Delaware County and was being taken today to Andes, a small town also in Delaware County. He was released on state land, according to the DEC’s Georgeson.
Schenectady Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said police had received reports of a bear in the neighborhood earlier today and authorized the use of deadly force if it made its way down from its perch.
Stockade resident Shawn Johnson spotted the bear while on a walk on Front Street. It was behind a few houses, and he witnessed it climb a tree to get over a fence and then make its way up a tree behind 146-148 Front St.
Bennett said officers have never dealt with anything like this before, and he was unsure how the bear came to visit the historic section of the city.
About 10 police officers and three dozen spectators were at the scene.
GAZETTE COVERAGE
Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/SubscribeMore from The Daily Gazette:
Categories: Uncategorized
