NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Florida Fish and Wildlife officers say a black bear that wandered up a tree in New Smyrna Beach came down from it after a storm on Saturday.
Officials were on scene on Sams Avenue for crowd control and a biologist was there to talk to people and help them understand why the bear was in the tree, because that is where bears retreat to when they feel scared.
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Saturday night, FWC said the bear came down from the tree and headed west out of the area.
Officers said they were not surprised a bear ended up in a tree there, but they do not get a lot of calls for bears in New Smyrna Beach.
Officials said it is likely a young male bear was dispersing from its birth territory, and is now looking to find his own territory.
No one saw the bear go up the tree, but was likely scared and ran up there and spent the day relaxing.
Officials said typically bears will stay in trees like that until they feel safe to come down, usually after dark.
Officials are urging people who see the bear to leave it alone and let it make its own way out. It would prefer to avoid people.
The longer there is a lot of commotion, the longer it will seek refuge in the tree, officials said.