STAR JOURNAL REPORT

Motorists on Hwy 17, north of Gleason Friday witnessed an unusual sight for this time of year.  The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office received numerous calls regarding a young black bear walking around and interacting with traffic.

According to a State Trooper who arrived on the scene, the bear at times would stand on its hind legs and peer into passing cars.

Wild Instincts, a non-profit animal rehabilitation center near Rhinelander was contacted to secure the bear and transport it to their facility. Wild Instincts reported the 90-pound bear is about two years old; it could have been displaced by a variety of things such as hunters, snowmobilers, loggers or just the warm temperatures.

The bear will be allowed to hibernate for the rest of the winter at Wild Instincts and in the spring they will evaluate it to make sure a medical condition did not cause its unusual behavior.

Photo taken through a vehicle window of the two-year-old bear who was wandering along Hwy 17, north of Gleason Dec. 23.

Photos courtesy of Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.