MARIETTA, Ga. — The bear that was spotted roaming around Marietta yesterday was caught later in the evening, and now the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is sharing what happened.
The Marietta Police Department posted the update on Facebook today explaining why they couldn't tranquilize the bear during the day, because of the heat, how they were able to get it subdued in the evening and what plans for the bear are next.
The department said that "trained certified personnel from (Georgia Department of Natural Resources) safely chemically immobilized the bear around 10:15 PM near 175 Kimberly Way" and now "they plan to release him in a natural habitat outside Cobb County at an undisclosed location in North Georgia."
Earlier in the day, they tracked its movements but did not act to capture it, they said, because they were advised by DNR that "the heat would cause additional stress to the bear if they attempted to immobilize it chemically (a.k.a. 'tranquilize')."
The department shared photos of the 300 pound adult male black bear, a species native to Georgia:
The Marietta black bear
"The hope was that the bear would return to the woods in the nearby National Park on its own," Marietta Police explained. "By early evening it became obvious the bear was quite content with its new home and was in no hurry to leave."
They added they had been asked if the bear will be tagged or chipped, and it's "not necessary as he did not attack anyone or show any signs of aggression."
"We want to thank everyone involved in this process," the department said. "Federal, State and local authorities all worked together with Marietta residents to safely relocate this large bear."
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