Black bear spotted near Marietta park tranquilized, relocated out of city
A black bear that was seen Wednesday morning near Laurel Park in Marietta has been moved to a safer area.
The 300-pound bear was captured and tranquilized last night by Georgia Department of Natural Resources crews and relocated to its “natural habitat,” the Marietta Police Department said late Wednesday.
“Kudos to all involved and special thanks to all the residents who helped by avoiding the area and allowing this to happen safely,” the department said.
Cobb County 911 dispatchers started receiving calls around 9 a.m. of the bear in the park before it moved on to nearby neighborhoods. The bear was later spotted near Whitlock Avenue and Manning Road east of Marietta High School. Officials initially hoped the bear would continue west into the wooded area of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.
“By early evening it became obvious the bear was quite content with its new home and was in no hurry to leave,” Marietta police.
Marietta police, DNR crews and National Park Service officials eventually captured the bear and tranquilized it around 10:15 p.m. The department said it will be relocation to an undisclosed location in North Georgia. DNR officials said the bear was not tagged or chipped since it did not show signs of aggression, Marietta police said.
According to DNR, an adult male bear can weigh up to 500 pounds while female bears can get as heavy as 300 pounds. Humans can reduce their encounters with bears by removing bird feeders and outdoor pet food, securing garbage in enclosed buildings and cleaning grills after each use.
About the Author
Kristal Dixon covers Cobb and DeKalb county schools for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Before joining the AJC, Dixon worked for Patch.com and the Cherokee Tribune in Canton.
