The Sequoia Park Zoo had an unexpected visitor today.
A wild black bear was spotted inside the facility by a staff member during a routine morning check of the Redwood Sky Walk but later made its way back into the surrounding woods with a little encouragement, according to a news release.
And yes, the wanderer did spend some time hanging out by the zoo’s three bears, all of which are rescues deemed by wildlife official as unable to be released for various reasons. Tule and Nabu were both found orphaned as cubs and Ishŭng was removed from a wildlife sanctuary after its permits were not renewed. (Read more about bears’ backstories here, here and here.)
“The wild bear did not appear aggressive and was observed interacting with Tule, Ishŭng and Nabu through their habitat fencing,” the release states. “At no point did the wild bear enter any animal habitats and, after a brief exploration of the enrichment items around the night house, the bear was safely coaxed back into the woods through a service gate.”
The release says emergency procedures were implemented as soon as the bear was spotted and the zoo “deployed a rapid response to assess and resolve the situation.”
“We are grateful to Eureka Police Department and California Department of Fish and Wildlife for their swift response and assistance in creating a calm and safe resolution,” Sequoia Park Zoo Director Jim Campbell-Spickler says in the release. “This was an exemplary execution of our emergency systems which resulted in the best outcome for everyone involved — including the bear!”
All in all, the wayward visitor was given high marks for minding its manners while wandering around.
“Our three bears are very distinctive in appearance, and I recognized right away that it was not one of ours,” says Christine Noel, the zoo’s Education Curator and Redwood Sky Walk inspector who made the initial spotting. “Overall, he was a very polite visitor. He stayed on the boardwalk path and didn’t try to climb over the railings.”
At this time, the zoo says it’s unclear how the bear got inside the facility, noting in the release that the “perimeter fencing separating the zoo from Sequoia Park is intact and secure.”
“Wild bears and other animals call Sequoia Park home, and we remind our guests to responsibly live alongside them by observing wildlife from a distance, staying on marked trails and always being aware of your surroundings,” the release states.