Wayward Bear Gets Stuck in Poughkeepsie

A wayward bear wandered into the City of Poughkeepsie, most likely in search of food, and DEC officers had to remove the bear from the City.

On May 4, in the early morning hours, a young male bear wandered into the City of Poughkeepsie. The bear was spotted near North Hamilton and Mansion Streets.

The bear was likely in search of food after hibernating and the urban environment offered many plentiful sources. Members of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and ECOs surrounded the bear, which was up a tree.

Officers contacted the DEC's Bureau of Wildlife and technicians arrived to anesthetize the animal. The bear slid down the tree and onto a pad without injury. The bear was weighed, aged, and tagged.

Officers lifted the 165-pound bear into the DEC's bear transportation trailer and took it to Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Putnam County, where it was released back into the wild without incident.

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