Posted on 05/15/2017 7:00:12 AM PDT by SJackson
Black bears are common in the state, but one perched in a tree in a small central Wisconsin city drew dozens of curiosity seekers.
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI — Several hours of curiosity quietly came to an end Wednesday night in a small central Wisconsin city when a big black bear climbed down a tree and ambled away. The errant bear, estimated to weigh somewhere between 200 and 300 pounds, had been perched in the large pine tree in Wisconsin Rapids since about 9 a.m. when, scared by semis and other traffic, it sought refuge 50 feet above the noisy action.
The bear was apparently out for a stroll in Wisconsin Rapids near Lincoln Street when it was spooked by the Expressway traffic, the city police department wrote on its Facebook page. Police called in the ranking black bear experts at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for advice about what to do. There are about 28,000 black bears in Wisconsin, so the folks at the DNR are well-versed in what to do and what not to do when encountering them.
The DNR’s advice was simply this: Don’t fret, and leave the bear alone.
“The DNR warden advised that the bear might stay in the tree until tonight,” the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department wrote on Facebook in a post titled “I Climbed This Tree With My Bear Hands.”
“If you happen to be in that area, please remember bears are wild animals,” the post continued. “Just leave it alone and eventually he/she will climb down and wander way.”
That’s exactly what happened.
Late Wednesday, the police department posted an update, saying the bear had retreated from its sanctuary and was last seen headed west toward the river. “We wish him a safe journey,” the police department wrote.
Thus ended a quiet drama that for hours had captivated Wisconsin Rapids residents by the dozens. The bear sat stoically in the tree for the most part, apparently not flinching much when curiosity seekers zoomed in with cellphone cameras and snapped photos that showed up on social media.
“He’s not camera-shy,” Nikki Rucinski, a 37-year-old Wisconsin Rapids resident told the Daily Tribune. “There have been lots of people coming by.”
Police were notified a bear was in the city about 6 a.m., Wisconsin Rapids Police Lt. Brian Krzykowski told the newspaper, noting that an officer was in pursuit in the high-traffic area near the Expressway when the bear scrambled up the tree.
Wisconsin Rapids isn't exactly a small city with a 55m metropolitan area, but I suppose it's all relative.
They called the police because a black bear was in their neighborhood.
Racists.
The bear self-identified as a bird.
There’s not much to do in Wisconsin Rapids...
Bears are not warm and cuddly. They are treacherous and not to be trusted. They are not cute. They are eating machines.
He wouldn’t last long if Beau was in the area; he bagged a 534# Black Bear this past fall! It’s delicious. :)
They can be cute when well fed.
The DNR’s advice was simply this: Don’t fret, and leave the bear alone.
So, do nothing, just what government is good at. Paging Scott Walker - here is another agency you can shutter and save the taxpayers some money. Let the DNR folks do nothing on their own dime.
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