Yes, police in one DeKalb County city know a bear has been spotted several times. And the Georgia Department of Natural Resources does, too.
But there’s nothing anyone can do about, Dunwoody police said Friday afternoon.
"We've been in contact with DNR and have learned that trapping and or capturing the bear is not an option at this point," police posted on the department's Facebook page. "The bear is considered 'free roaming' and therefore cannot be trapped, tranquilized and relocated."
The bear was spotted at least three times Friday in the area of an Ashford-Dunwoody Road hotel. At 4:30 a.m., staff at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia reported seeing the furry four-legger.
It was still in the area at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., when others reported seeing the bear, according to police.
On Thursday, a homeowner reported seeing the bear in her backyard, but an officer lost sight of it on Old Spring Lane. A short time later, the officer spotted a bear that he thought was a second one based on its size, Officer Tim Fecht said.
In both cases, the bear or bears retreated to a wooded, grassy area near Chamblee-Dunwoody Road and I-285 after officers arrived with flashing blue lights and sirens, he said.
Rangers believe the bear, or bears, will eventually move out of the area, police said. But if you see a bear, report it to police.
“Let’s try to give the bear the room it needs as it continues its tour of Dunwoody,” police posted on Facebook. “Take precautions with your children, pets, and garbage cans and so on.”
Last week, a bear was struck and killed by a car as it attempted to cross a busy Cherokee County road in an area where one wouldn't expect to see a bear.
At least 5,000 bears call Georgia home, typically living in swamps or forested areas, according to the state DNR. Bears aren’t common in metro Atlanta, but are sighted occasionally. There have been no known bear attacks on humans in Georgia, the DNR said.
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