Young bear roaming New Jersey towns tranquilized in tree

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — A young black bear that’s been roaming around New Jersey residential areas has been tranquilized and is out of a home’s tree. Crews managed to tranquilize the 1 ½-year-old male bear Tuesday afternoon as it sat on a low tree branch near a home in Ridgewood. They caught it in a net.

Earlier, it had been running around near a school’s baseball field, and on Monday it was seen napping in a tree in neighboring Paramus.

CBS New York reports local schools — Ridgewood High School, Somerville Elementary School and a nursery — were placed on lockdown while animal control handled the bear.

Animal control worker Carol Tyler says the bear is at an age where its mother would kick it out, but it’s not old enough or strong enough to take its own territory. They guess the animal was drawn to the area by the smell of food.

It will be transported to western New Jersey, likely near the Delaware Water Gap.

AP