Bearing with the Governor
A bear in the woods in upstate NY is not that unusual. Even in Albany where residents are used to politicians in all shapes and sizes, bears are just one part of the parties. This bruin was not part of any lobbying firm coming home from a party, it was the real deal a 5 foot, 150 pound black bear in the Washington Park, a couple of blocks from the state capital. “This black bear got into Washington Park early this morning, apparently,” Jeremy Hurst, a DEC wildlife biologist, said. “It’s an unusual situation for a bear to be this far in the heart of Albany because it is further removed from some wooded spaces where we typically have bears.” The sprawling park is in the center of Albany, hemmed in by busy streets and surrounded by commercial strips and city neighborhoods of brownstones or single-family homes. Though unusual, it is not unheard of for bears to wander through the region’s cities and suburbs. Often, the animals pass through populated areas as they move from one forested spot to another in pursuit of food.
Police closed off the street for a few hours as a state Department of Environmental Conservation crew and the fire department worked to get the bear safely out of the tree. Bystanders gathered under the tree on the State Street side of the park for hours. As the bear lingered above “I’ve spent a lot of time in this park,” said Amie Slater of Delmar. “I usually don’t see a lot of bears.” Word about the Capital City’s newest resident spread quickly on social media, inspiring dozens to try and watch the show. “He’s right in my neighborhood,” said Idolia Ash, who lives around the block from the park. “It was a beautiful opportunity to see an animal right in the tree.” After several hours and attempts, the bear was chemically immobilized with a dart and fell into the safety net and padding waiting below. Despite the drop, the bear was medically evaluated by DEC officials, who said it was doing just fine, and will be brought to the Catskills. While brief, people living near the park hoped this was not a common occurrence. “Because I was planning on riding my bicycle this morning in the park,” Ash said. “But I’ll absolutely be looking up and around more often.”
Looking for the bear necessities
Who should carry the bear mace when hiking with friends?
The slowest runner.
What sort of creature hibernates in odd poses? A yoga bear.
What’s the difference between a black bear and a grizzly bear?
If you climb a tree to escape, a black bear can climb up the tree and you eat you.
While it is legal to shoot bears in Alalska, waking a sleeping bear for the purpose of taking a photograph is prohibited.
June 2nd Birthdays
1988 – Amber Marshall, 1951 – Jeanine Pirro, 1996 – Brittany O’Grady, 1981 – Abby Wambach
1972 – Wayne Brady, 1955 – Dana Carvey, 1978 – Wentworth Miller, 1979 – Justin Long