Arkansas Game and Fish Commission officials tranquilized a black bear perched about 60 feet high in a tree in White Hall on May 3 because authorities thought the bear was too close to residents.
The bear was apparently unharmed by the fall, and officials later released it in a remote area, according to a news release issued Wednesday.
"We really do not like removing bears from heights like this because of possible injury to the bear or the men and women working, but local authorities felt that the animal was too close to nearby homes to allow it to climb down and move off on its own," commission wildlife management supervisor Marks Hooks said in a statement included in the release.
Wildlife officials managed to sedate the animal, but it got stuck among tree branches on its way down. They summoned a ladder truck from the local fire department in an attempt to extricate the bear, but the attempt was "unsuccessful," Hooks said.
Eventually, the bear's weight shifted, and it fell into a smaller, shrub-like tree, which the news release said softened its landing.
The bear was thought to be at least 3 years old. The agency said spring is often when people encounter bears wandering to find food after young males leave their mothers' territories at the end of their second winters.
The commission encourages residents and business owners to put away trash cans, bird feeders and pet food for several days if a bear enters their area.
SundayMonday on 05/17/2020