Edhat Staff
Photo: CDFW
By edhat staff
A 300-pound bear was captured and released after it was found wandering a Lompoc neighborhood early Tuesday morning.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officials received a report around 5:30 a.m. of a bear seen roaming O Street in the southwest area of Lompoc. Residents observed the bear jumping over fences from backyard to backyard, waking up neighbors.
Lompoc police officers helped to secure the perimeter while wildlife officials moved in to tranquilize the bear with a dart gun.
“It represented no obvious threat to public safety, in fact, it was kicking a basketball around,” reported CDFW.
The healthy male black bear was successfully darted in the 900 block of West Apple Ave. It was safely loaded into a truck and released to the nearest suitable habitat, an open space area south of the city.
“A similar scenario played itself out in Solvang, not far from Lompoc, on April 25… minus the basketball,” reported CDFW referring to an incident where a bear was seen strolling through downtown Solvang.
Yogi came into town. I almost pooped my heart out
Posted by Abelardo Duarte Melgoza on Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Wow! Truly amazing video. I would freak out if I had seen that running down the sidewalk. What a lovely creature. Thanks for sharing. All’s well that ends well.
Captured and released…figures, California’s zero-bail order is ridiculous. I’ll bet this bear is a repeat offender.
Any videos of him making 3’s? How about his jump shot?
I never realized our local Black bears had those white chest blazes. Pretty cool. Extremely happy Fish & Wildlife now tranqs and removes. Wasn’t always the case around here.
Bears are wonderful and amazing creatures. Like in this case, it’s forray through the neighborhood was rather harmless and certainly and entertaining delight. We all know it’s looking for food. It would be great if researchers knew more about their habitat and the effects upon it caused by such things as drought. And then, if there were ways to supplement the bears diet when it is released. Throw some nuts and berries on the ground to give it a kick start, as well as the assumption that the New Neighborhood its released in has some level of attraction. Care for Bears. You’ll be sorry if they go.
I woulda given him the basketball..
I wonder if this is the same bear found “shopping” in Solvang a few weeks ago? Hah!