Black bear climbs tree and takes a nap in Madison [View all]

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A black bear made its way through Madison’s west side, climbed a tree and took a nap on Saturday. The Madison Police Department received several calls about a black bear sighting until they located it at a home on the city’s southwest side. ”I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a bear roaming the front of my yard,” Dominique Smith said. ”I posted the video to Facebook and a lot of people responded and were like, ‘Oh my gosh! Where is this?’ And I’m like ‘The west side of Madison!’” Smith’s front yard doorbell camera caught footage of a black bear walking across her Park Ridge neighborhood property at approximately 11:15 p.m. Friday night.

Next, the bear was found in Craig Newman’s backyard. ”It’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be,” Newman said. A neighbor called Newman and then the police to say the bear had found its way into his yard and then climbed a tree, eventually taking a nap. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Julie Widholm said the bear is not aggressive, and she hopes it will eventually wander outside of Madison’s city limits.

“In general, bear range in Wisconsin is expanding; I’d say we get yearly reports of bears on the western edge of Dane County so while this is somewhat rare its not surprising,” Widholm said. “We encourage people to give the bear its space. Keeping your yard free of food waste and other wildlife attractants like outdoor pet food is also encouraged not only for bears but for other urban wildlife.”

Newman does not have other pets to worry about, so he plans to let the bear be. MPD officers on scene said they would continue to keep an eye on the bear. As of sunset on Saturday, Newman said the bear was still in the tree, but asks that the public avoid the area so the bear can feel comfortable climbing down and leaving.

Video at link: https://www.nbc15.com/2023/04/30/black-bear-climbs-tree-takes-nap-madison/