A 250-pound black bear was rescued from a Colorado home’s window well, prompting rescuers to drop it off three hours away.<\/p>\n
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo \u2014 A 250-pound black bear stumbled into a Colorado window well and needed rescuing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bear took advantage of the awkward situation. Kristen Nedbalek she spotted the bear taking a nap in the unusual place when she returned to her home in Falcon, Colorado, just outside of Colorado Springs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“When we first came down here, you know, lights were off. It was quiet and it was just sleeping,” she told CNN. “While I was waiting, I just sat here for like a good 20 minutes just watching it, It was just very surreal.”<\/p>\n
After calling for help, and letting the black bear snooze in his temporary den, wildlife officials arrived and tranquilized the bear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They had to lift it through the basement window and home to eventually get it out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bear was released roughly three hours away in a habitat more suitable for bears \u2014 and far from window wells.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Travis Lau, with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, told WPMT\u00a0<\/a>it’s not uncommon for black bears to wander into neighborhoods this time of year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe big driver of movement into areas where bears typically aren\u2019t is the dispersal of yearling juvenile bears,\u201d Lau said.<\/p>\n Young male bears can travel up to 14 miles in search of a new home. Trash cans, bird feeders and pet food can also lure bears into developed areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you were to happen to open the door and there is a bear in the backyard, to whistle, to call out to it, to somehow get that bear\u2019s attention usually is enough to send the bear off,\u201d Lau said.<\/p>\n Black bear attacks are rare, but they do happen. Two hikers were\u00a0attacked by “one or more” bears<\/a> in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n While they may not frequently hurt people, bears may become aggressive if they feel cornered. Experts recommend dog owners to not engage if they encounter a bear.<\/p>\n
\nWhat to do if you find a bear <\/p>\n