Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials successfully brought a young black bear down from a tree using a sedative dart on Monday in the Langley Park area of Prince George’s County.
Shecara West, who lives nearby, said she rushed to get her children inside and remove food from the grill after hearing about the bear. Her husband, Derek West, noted it wasn’t something they saw every day, though bear sightings have happened before.
The bear had climbed a tree on Tahona Avenue, and wildlife experts determined it was likely a young male searching for new territory. Paul Peditto, assistant secretary of land resources at DNR, explained that young bears are often pushed out by their mothers around this time of year to find their own space.
This bear is believed to be the same one spotted in Beltsville and Laurel over the Memorial Day weekend.
Initially perched about 55 feet up, the bear was too high to safely sedate. So DNR staff used a tapping technique on the tree to encourage the bear to climb down. Once it was within range, wildlife biologist Jim Bennett administered the sedative. Within seven minutes, the bear became drowsy, descended, and fell asleep on the ground.
“He was out cold and snoring,” said Peditto.
After being safely subdued, the bear was tagged and fitted with a research collar, which will provide valuable data about its movements. This tagging effort supports an ongoing study on black bears in collaboration with the University of Maryland.
Local residents were relieved the bear was handled safely. Reginald Bowens, who had come over for a Memorial Day barbecue, joked that he rushed inside upon hearing a bear was nearby. “I didn’t want to be eaten alive,” he laughed.
The bear is being relocated to Western Maryland, far from residential areas.
