****UPDATE**** According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the 200 lb bear was captured and had to be euthanized due to his extreme reliance on human food sources. A very sad ending. Read more about the story from The Advocate

 

Louisiana citizens are pretty used to seeing wildlife roaming our woodlands and swamps, but it is not an everyday sight to see a bear cruising through the neighborhood. But that's what happened over the weekend in Port Allen.

According to WAFB, residents in the Oaks Avenue area of Port Allen spotted a black bear wandering around on Sunday, April 25. The neighborhood is close to the Mississippi River, and the bear was seen on the home video cameras of Robin Hurst, who had trouble believing that the animal was actually that close to her house. Hurst tells WAFB “By the time the black bear came back by my driveway, he started to kind of running. The police car came, so they were like, face-to-face, like who’s going to make the first move." He then did what bears do, which is climb a nearby tree.

Quite a crowd gathered to see the bear, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries did their best to tranquilize him, but they could not get a clear shot. They did, however, put a trap out with cinnamon rolls and vanilla on top to try and lure him down from the tree. Port Allen police say the bear climbed down overnight, but still returned to the neighborhood, and has been quite the renegade ever since.

Police are telling citizens to be on the lookout, be vigilant, and don't take matters into their own hands. They are saying check your surroundings before going outside and be sure to "look up" as well. Call Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries if you spot the bear.

 

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