Two black bears raised in captivity still on the lam in Adirondacks
Two black bears that were raised in captivity are still on the loose in the town of Wilmington in Essex County. The animals escaped from the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge March 30, scrambling out of an enclosure.
Anyone spotting bears in the Wilmington area can help by calling the DEC at 1-844-332-3267.
These are both female black bears," said Steven Hall, one of the refuge's owners. "We’ve had them since they were a month old. They’re used for educational purposes. They act like sisters because they’ve literally known each other their whole lives."
Both animals weigh more than 200 pounds. There’ve been sightings since, Hall says, as far as four miles away from the refuge. The most recent came Sunday when one of the bears was spotted just a mile and a half from home.
"I went out and I found her. The problem was Adirondack tourists were stopping and taking photographs and that kind of freaked her out. So she ran back into the woods."
The state Conservation Department is working with the refuge to try to recover the bears. The animals aren't considered dangerous, but people are being urged not to get too close or to feed them.
People in the Wilmington area are being urged to be extra cautious about their garbage and their bird feeders.
Hall says the hope is that the bears will eventually get hungry enough that they’ll wander home.
"Bears have a wonderful sense of smell. If they’re a mile and a half away, they know where the refuge is, they know how to get back here to get fed. We’re hoping they’ll get tired of running around and come home, go in the enclosure to eat and then we’ll shut the door. Let’s suppose that does not work. We’re working with the DEC and if need be, they’ll put out these big giant bear tracks and catch them."
One of the missing bears is a chocolate brown color, not typical in the Adirondacks. The other has a silver tag in its ear. Anyone spotting bears in the Wilmington area can help by calling the DEC at 1-844-332-3267.
DEC statement on the missing bears:
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is advising the public to be alert for two captive black bears that escaped from the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge in Wilmington, Essex County. The bears were reported missing on Saturday, March 30.
The bears were raised from cubs at the facility and may not be as afraid of people as a typical wild bear. Despite their common name, black bears have several different color phases and sometimes have white markings on their chest. One of the escaped bears is solid black and has a silver ear tag. The other bear is chocolate brown and has a “v-notched” ear. DEC and local partners are working to capture and return the animals to the refuge.
The public is asked to contact DEC Law Enforcement Dispatch Center immediately at 1-844-332-3267 to report bear sightings. These animals are not believed to be aggressive, but standard precautions should be taken to avoid attracting the bears, or any wild bears currently coming out of hibernation. DEC asks the public to keep trash and recycling inside or locked up, discontinue feeding birds, and avoid feeding pets outside. The public should never approach or feed bears.
