Grin and bear it
On the way home after work on Friday afternoon, I saw something one rarely sees in suburbia. As I took the ramp to go northbound onto 28, I noticed something in the grassy area between the ramp and the Hilton. My first reaction was "That's one huge dog," but then I realized it wasn't a dog. It was a black bear. He(she?) was shifting about as if trying to decide what to do. I'd have loved to take a picture of it, but I was driving and wouldn't have been able to get the phone out to do it in time, and I sure wasn't going to pull over on the ramp.
When I got home, I called county animal control and reported it. I was concerned the bear would wander out onto the ramp, or would go the other direction around a fence and into the nearby hotel parking lot. The dispatcher suggested I call the state game warden's office, too, since the county folks aren't equipped to catch bears. They'd just head out there and end up calling the state. Unfortunately, the number she provided me for the game warden was out of service. I figured I'd done my civic duty anyway and didn't bother searching for the correct number.
I don't know if it was an adult bear. It definitely wasn't a cub, but I've no experience with bears and don't know how large black bears actually get. For some reason, I got the impression it was a young adult.
That's one more thing I can check off my suburban wildlife bingo card.
When I got home, I called county animal control and reported it. I was concerned the bear would wander out onto the ramp, or would go the other direction around a fence and into the nearby hotel parking lot. The dispatcher suggested I call the state game warden's office, too, since the county folks aren't equipped to catch bears. They'd just head out there and end up calling the state. Unfortunately, the number she provided me for the game warden was out of service. I figured I'd done my civic duty anyway and didn't bother searching for the correct number.
I don't know if it was an adult bear. It definitely wasn't a cub, but I've no experience with bears and don't know how large black bears actually get. For some reason, I got the impression it was a young adult.
That's one more thing I can check off my suburban wildlife bingo card.