A black bear turned a routine school pickup into a surreal scene in Worcester, Massachusetts, after it was spotted roaming near Doherty High School, scaling a retaining wall, and wandering through nearby yards.
The bear eventually made it back to the woods, but not before scaring residents.
According to CBS News, WBZ-TV reported that a black bear sighting near Doherty High School prompted an alert in the neighborhood Thursday morning, as Environmental Police trailed it. In footage aired by WBZ-TV, the bear climbed a retaining wall near the school. Parents there for pickup also saw it ambling nearby, and it was later spotted about half a mile away in a backyard.
That's where Gail Barrell came face to face with it. "My heart was racing," she said. "I was terrified, so he looked at me and kept going on, but I ran running up to the house screaming."
Earlier, WBZ-TV reported, it cut through a rest home's yard, went up a tree, and later cleared a fence. MassWildlife experts said this is mating season, when young bears that have recently separated from their mothers may roam more widely. Environmental Police said the bear eventually made it back to the woods safely — then showed up again Thursday night, when a WBZ-TV crew saw it crossing a street.
Wildlife is increasingly moving through human-dominated spaces as development expands into natural habitats, while easy food sources such as trash, bird feeders, and pet food draw animals in.
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Seasonal animal behavior can intersect with the built environment. Young bears dispersing during mating season may wind up traveling through neighborhoods because roads, fences, yards, and buildings now sit along paths that once ran through uninterrupted habitat.
In this case, Environmental Police closely monitored the situation and allowed the bear to keep moving until it safely reached the woods. Wildlife experts said roaming can be normal this time of year for newly independent bears.
Bringing in bird feeders, securing garbage, removing outdoor food sources, and giving wildlife plenty of space can lower the chances of a close encounter. If a bear is spotted, residents should avoid approaching it, keep children and pets inside, and contact local animal or environmental authorities.
"We've been here 22 years and never saw a bear," said Phil Barrell.
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