A bear in a tree in Green Bay, August 7, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A bear was captured on video on Green Bay’s east side, one day after a bear was up a tree on the city’s west side.
Wildlife officials say the sightings were likely of the same bear.
“It’s very likely,” said Steve Burns, wildlife biologist for the Department of Natural Resources. “We don’t have that many bears setting up shop in Green Bay. The fact that we had these multiple sightings and you can almost track progression out of town towards the east, it’s very likely the same bear.”
So, if it was the same bear, how did it get from the west side to the east side? That is the question many are asking.
In the video from Green Bay’s east side, you can see the bear sniffing around a newly planted cherry tree on Manitowoc Road. Marissa Garza lives there and believes she was in her car at the time.
“I was too busy looking at my phone, looking down at it,” said Garza. “I didn’t even bother to look out the window.”
Garza first saw the video on social media and says she can see the headlights on for her vehicle.
“Shocking, surprising, and seeing because that’s the time I usually leave for work,” said Garza. “I don’t know what I could have done if I came in contact with it.”
Another person claims their son saw the bear in the parking lot of the Superior Liquor at about 4:30 a.m. while riding their bike to work. They said it was heading towards the Pizza Ranch. Between those two businesses is Manitowoc Road where the video of the bear was taken at about the same time.
“In general, just the sheer presence of a bear in town or in the city isn’t necessarily a reason for concern,” said Burns.
Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Steve Burns says the DNR also received a bear sighting report for 1:45 a.m. near the east side of the Fox River. That is less than three hours after Green Bay Police say a bear left a tree on the west side after spending most of Monday there.
“I hope they get that bear out of the city,” said Garza. “It’s kind of scary. I don’t like coming out and going into a bear. It’s pretty scary.”
Burns says the best case to get a bear out of an area is to give it the opportunity to leave on its own at night, which is what happened when the bear was up the tree on the west side.
The DNR, USDA Wildlife Service, and Green Bay Police have policies that would discourage chemically immobilizing animals that are up a tree.
“There’s too many variables involved,” said Burns. “The animal could go sedated and fall out of the tree. I’m sure we’ve all seen those videos of trying to catch it on a tarp or a trampoline and it rarely goes well.”
Burns says the DNR receives about a handful of bear sighting reports per year in Green Bay. That compares to about 800 bear nuisance reports statewide per year.
“If you go out towards Suamico, it’s much more common,” said Burns. “I think often times bears don’t find their way east of 41, but like this one did, it can happen.”
Burns says anyone who sees a bear and has concerns can either call police, the DNR or USDA Wildlife Services at 1-800-228-1368.
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