Massachusetts

Black Bear Safely Removed After Adventurous Morning in Arlington

An elusive black bear was finally cornered and safely removed after leading police and wildlife officials on a chase through a quiet Massachusetts neighborhood on Friday morning.

Officials received a call Friday morning for a bear sighting in Arlington, and local police joined the Massachusetts Environmental Police in scouring the town for it.

From soccer fields to residential neighborhoods, authorities searched high and low for the wild animal. It was finally found in the branches of a tree behind a home on Pawnee Drive around 9 a.m.

Authorities warned residents to keep their pets indoors, but the spectacle drew curious residents from their homes.

"We have a little dog, the dog tried to chase the bear so that's the one who got it up in the tree in the first place," said resident Kim Richard.

TAKE A LOOK: Up-Close Pictures of the Arlington Bear

The bear finally climbed down from the tree around 10:30 a.m. after it was tranquilized and hid in a nearby bush.

"I thought it was cool," said one young girl watching from outside.

One spectator had come out wearing a bear mask while the animal was in his backyard.

"I thought it was a baby, and it was really cute," he said.

The 100-pound male bear was later removed from the area by environmental police and was transported to a wooded area of western Massachusetts, where it successfully recovered from the effects of the tranquilizer.

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