Black Bear Sighted Wandering the Streets of Washington D.C.

On Friday, residents of a D.C. neighborhood were treated to an unusual sight - a black bear wandering the streets. The bear, spotted resting in a tree, quickly became a social media sensation. Some residents suggested the bear be named Franklin, after the street where it was first seen, while others preferred Smokey, given the smoky skies over Washington D.C.

Local police confirmed that the bear had been spotted in D.C.’s Brookland neighborhood before it sought refuge in a tree. The bear remained in the tree for several hours before descending and disappearing into the neighborhood.

An emergency task force, comprising the Metropolitan Police Department, the local Humane Rescue Alliance, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the National Zoo, responded to the scene.

After the bear climbed down from the tree, Human Rescue Alliance staffers safely tranquilized it. The young, 200lb bear, which had been seen rummaging through backyards and sniffing garbage cans, was later subjected to a medical check.

“The bear will be released back into the wild, somewhere in Maryland,” said Chris Schindler, vice president of field services for the Human Rescue Alliance, as reported by the Associated Press. It appears that this particular bear had been under the watchful eye of wildlife authorities for several weeks and was the same one spotted near Hyattsville, Maryland, on Thursday.

BearWise, an organization dedicated to bear education, acknowledges that while it's rare for bears to venture into neighborhoods, young bears often roam in search of food, mates, and territory during the summer months.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources provides tips for those who encounter a bear and guidelines for keeping bears at a safe distance.