Bear Is Back in Forest After Trip to Town

A 300-pound male black bear lumbered through residential areas in Canyon Country until sheriff’s deputies and state Fish and Game officials tranquilized him and carted him back into the hills, officials said Wednesday.

Game wardens said the bear was “probably just foraging for food” Tuesday night when it was sighted by a resident near Sierra Highway and Dolan Way shortly before 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said the bear appeared to be lost.

While deputies waited for game wardens to arrive, the bear led them on a low-speed chase that included a sheriff’s helicopter. The bear ambled down Soledad Canyon Road, a major thoroughfare, but caused no traffic problems because of the late hour.

Deputies attempted to shepherd the bear out of residential areas into the dry bed of the Santa Clara River, but finally decided it was safer for everyone that the animal be tranquilized and carried out.

After a Fish and Game official fired tranquilized darts at the bear, the animal was put into a truck for transportation back into the Angeles National Forest.

Six miles into the trip the bear regained consciousness.

Fish and Game officials quickly stopped the truck and the bear hustled quietly into the forest.