Bear Tranquilized After Getting Into Trash And Wandering Near Day Care Center
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Colorado wildlife officials tranquilized and relocated its first bear of the year after they say it got into several trash cans and posed a threat to children at a day care center.
The Steamboat Pilot & Today newspaper reports that Colorado Parks and Wildlife tagged and relocated the bear Monday in Steamboat Springs.
The Steamboat Springs Police Department received several calls about a 2-year-old, cinnamon-colored black bear perusing downtown neighborhoods for scraps.
The situation became more serious in the afternoon, when students were getting out of nearby schools. By 2:30 p.m., the bear was near a day care center. A caller notified officers that people were going to help divert children away from the bear on their walk home.
"The tag officials placed on the bear, which denotes him as a public nuisance, will be his death sentence if he wanders into another town," the Pilot & Today reported.
Several people captured photos of what appears to be the same bear on Sunday. Matt Helm said he spotted the young bear at the intersection of 7th and Laurel Street and Missouri Avenue.
Residents urged people to buy bear-proof trash cans and make sure they are locked.
"Lock those trashcans up tight Steamboat!!!" Helm wrote on Facebook.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
