‘Fat’ black bear caught on camera snacking from apple tree near Pierce County school
A bear in Gig Harbor is enjoying tricks and treats this week, too.
On Monday, Oct. 30, Ashley Peterson posted on Facebook to tell neighbors about a visit she got just after noon.
“In case you like to walk 38th Ave. near Goodman Middle School and plan to trick-or-treat in the area be aware that this guy was in our yard just now,” Peterson posted, along with a picture of the bear.
Peterson shared the picture with the Gateway.
“I looked out my window and it was standing tall eating apples from my tree,” she told the Gateway. “He, or she, is a very large fat bear. I was able to scare him away but it didn’t leave as quickly as I hoped.”
Peterson’s address is just outside the Gig Harbor city limits. Police Chief Kelly Busey said his agency didn’t get any reports of a bear sighting Monday. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife also didn’t get any reports. A spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department was not immediately available for comment.
School administrators also didn’t get reports of a bear sighting near campus, according to Peninsula School District spokesperson Danielle Chastaine.
If a bear is seen near the school, they have protocols.
“During a sighting of a wild animal, such as a bear, near one of our schools administrators will place the school under a modified lockdown,” she said. “During a modified lockdown, classes continue but students are kept inside. The modified lockdown will last until Fish and Wildlife tells administrators it’s safe for students to be out.”
Black bears are more common throughout Washington than one may think.
One was spotted near Gig Harbor in June. The same week Puyallup also had a bear sighting.
“It is not unusual to see a black bear in our state, even in suburban areas or in greenbelts around cities and towns,” Jennifer Becar, communications manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, previously told the Gateway.
Becar added that biologists estimate that there are approximately 20,000 black bears in Washington.
This story was originally published October 31, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
