US: Huge Black Bear Finally Captured After Living For Years Near University Campus, Feeding On Garbage

A 226-kg bear seen moving about near a university in Tennessee, U.S., was finally captured and relocated by forest officials.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency had their hands full on Wednesday (March 23) when they were involved in evicting a massive bear from its 'home' near Tusculum University, CNN reported.

Facebook/Greeneville Fire Department

The bear was knocked unconscious before being taken to ¡°a remote area of Cherokee National Forest.¡± The forest is near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, along the North Carolina state line.

In a Facebook post, the agency said: "A 500-pound black bear living near Tusculum college in Greeneville had become habituated to human and unnatural foods and was relocated to a remote area of the Cherokee National Forest."

¡°The bear had regular access to garbage, birdseed, and pet food and had been in the area for a few years. (It) ramped up its activity and property damage last year," they said.

The bear was eventually located on one of the empty lots of a nearby residential neighbourhood, and subdued with a tranquiliser dart.

The bear was so large that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency had to seek help from Greeneville Fire Department in transporting the behemoth.

The Wildlife agency said that the fire department was glad to help and even offered some of their gear to help get the job done.

The statement concludes by saying that the bear has been relocated to a designated release site in Cherokee National Forest.

Reports of bears getting too close to human property or becoming used to eating human food - tend to rise in April, as the bears emerge from their winter dens and search for food, the agency said.

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