Fear not, wary Puyallup joggers: Ursa minor has left Clark’s Creek Park (the bear is gone)
Puyallup joggers rejoice: it’s been bearly more than two weeks since a black bear was last spotted roaming around a popular Puyallup trail and dog park at Clark’s Creek.
On Friday, the Puyallup Police Department called off the search for the animal, tweeting that since there’s been no recent sighting, they’re going to remove a trap the state Department of Fish and Wildlife set to capture the creature.
Which begs the question (and bear with us here), why did the bear cross the trail? Maybe there are tastier berries on the other side.
Anyone who sees a bear in the city should report it as soon as possible, Puyallup Police Capt. Ryan Portmann told The News Tribune last month. He said bears in Puyallup are relatively rare, and it takes three or more bear sightings in a certain amount of time for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to get involved — to bring a trailer out and set a trap.
Let’s hope the bear is onto bigger and better. Maybe its close encounter with humans was just too unbearable.
What to do if you encounter a black bear
According to the Puyallup Police Department, if you are to encounter a black bear, don’t corner it. And definitely don’t share your snacks. If you’re in the woods and you see a bear before it notices you, stand still, don’t approach it and then move quietly away in the opposite direction. Although they might seem cuddly, black bears can run up to 30 miles per hour.
If a bear is aware of you, don’t run (that may trigger it to chase you). Instead, back away slowly in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave.
If a bear approaches you, stand your ground and make yourself look larger by raising your arms and/or standing on a rock or a stump. Yell loudly and get your bear spray out of its holster. If a bear makes contact with you, fight back with anything at hand and do not play dead. They can kill or maim you with nothing but their bear hands.
This story was originally published July 29, 2023 at 12:40 PM.
