FARGO —
A black bear spotted within Fargo city limits Thursday, April 9,
quickly captured the attention of both local and out-of-town residents.
Fargo police said earlier this week they they believe the bear left the city on its own, but the sighting joined a list of several others there have been reported over the past two decades.
Here’s a summary of some of those sightings, as reported by The Forum:
In this controversial incident,
Fargo police shot and killed a moose cow and calf near South High School. The police stated that the pair posed a threat to public safety. This occurrence drew the attention of many, with Fargo South students even spending their lunch break following the wildlife through residential neighborhoods.
In reviewing the incident days later,
officials from the Fargo Police Department, North Dakota Game and Fish Department and Red River Zoo concurred with the decision to shoot the moose.
a black bear was eventually captured by wildlife officials, tranquilized and safely relocated. The bear was transported to the Pembina Gorge area in northeastern North Dakota, which provided a more suitable natural habitat. The officials chose this location because it’s remote, forested and better suited for the bear to survive without human interaction. This was considered a safe resolution; authorities stated that their goal was to protect both the public and the animal.
1/2: A black bear walks near the intersection of Interstate 29 and 32nd Avenue South in Fargo early Monday, July 7, 2008, in Fargo. Officials tranqilized the bear and relocated it to the Pembina Gorge area in northeast North Dakota.
Forum file photo
2/2: Officials place a tranquilized black bear inside a trailer on Monday, July 7, 2008, in Fargo. The bear was relocated to the Pembina Gorge area in northern North Dakota.
Forum file photo
Believing it posed safety concerns in the city, wildlife officials tranquilized
a moose that wandered into the Fargo area.
Authorities worked to control the situation and safely sedate the animal. After being tranquilized, the moose was transported out of the city and released into a designated wildlife management area, where it could return to a more natural habitat. Officials in this situation emphasized that their goal was also to protect both the public and the animal.
In this incident,
a moose wandered into a residential neighborhood
near Moorhead, drawing attention from residents as it made its way through the area. The moose was seen traveling between Fargo and Moorhead, appearing in multiple locations. Authorities monitored the situation and urged people to keep their distance and avoid approaching the moose.
This moose wandered into a neighborhood Sept. 28, 2010, north of Moorhead.
Contributed
near 12th Avenue North in Fargo. Residents drew their attention to the moose, which prompted a response from local authorities. Officials monitored the situation and asked people in the area to keep their distance and avoid approaching the moose.
For a few days,
a moose was traveling through north Fargo.
Officials from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department asked that nobody approach the moose or disrupt it in any way. Wild animals like this can easily become “spooked” and “agitated,” officials said, and they didn’t want to have to euthanize it for harming a human. Residents were urged to call the police if the moose was spotted somewhere particularly dangerous — like in the middle of the road.
While not a species endemic to the Fargo area, a red panda named Sheffield twice escaped his Red River Zoo enclosure in 2019.
ended when he he was found a day later in a tree near the zoo. His
second escape was much shorter,
lasting only a few minutes before he was put back in his enclosure.
A Chinese red panda sniffs for leftovers in an Easter basket Sunday, March 27, 2016, at the Red River Zoo in Fargo.
Forum file photo
Police in West Fargo urged residents to use caution after a reported
, possibly a mountain lion, in the area. Authorities responded to the report, but they were not able to confirm or locate the animal. This situation was treated as precautionary, with law enforcement focusing on both public safety and verifying the sighting.
A mountain lion was spotted up in a tree in West Fargo Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
Contributed / Michelle Rustad
Authorities killed
a mountain lion that was spotted in West Fargo
after it showed signs of potentially dangerous behavior. Officials initially responded to the sighting and monitored the animal, but its actions raised concerns about public safety. Because of the perceived risk to residents, law enforcement made the decision to euthanize the animal rather than attempt relocation. The safety of the public was the main concern in this situation.
A moose made a second appearance
in Fargo within a short period of time, again wandering into the city and drawing attention from residents. The moose was seen moving through parts of Fargo, prompting police and wildlife officials to urge the public to stay away and avoid crowding or chasing it. Authorities monitored the moose and let it leave the city safely on its own.
moving across multiple parts of the Fargo-Moorhead metro area on Christmas Day 2024. This sighting shocked residents in several locations including downtown Fargo, Moorhead and even Dilworth. These sightings prompted multiple calls to authorities. The moose eventually continued moving through the region without causing any reported injuries or major incidents. This incident made for a memorable Christmas for many residents.
A moose makes its way through a neighborhood in Moorhead on Dec. 25, 2024.
Contributed
A moose wandered from north Fargo into the city
and was later spotted near the Petco off 13th Avenue South, drawing a lot of attention from the public. Police and wildlife officials monitored the situation and determined the moose did not seem like an immediate threat. Their approach to a resolution focused on watching the moose’s movement and letting it leave the area naturally rather than trying to capture it.
A moose was spotted near Petco off 13th Avenue South on Oct. 2, 2025, in Fargo.
Contributed / Fargo Police Department
Adria Peters began her position with Forum Communications Company as Audience Engagement Specialist in June 2024. Readers can reach Adria by email at adria.peters@forumcomm.com.