Black Bear Found In Rural Rogers County Being Relocated

By Dan Bewley and NewsOn6.com

ROGERS COUNTY -- A black bear is being relocated to the wild after it was spotted in a tree outside Claremore in Rogers County Wednesday morning.

A Rogers County homeowner said her dogs chased the bear up the tree which was is located only about 20 yards from her porch. 

Sue Dulaney said her dogs woke her up shortly after 5:30 a.m., barking incessantly. She followed one of them outdoors where she saw the bear in the tree. She called the Rogers County Sheriff's Office, and deputies came out to her home to help.

"This is a first for me," said Sergeant Tandy Reeder, Rogers County Sheriff's Dept.  "I've never received a call on a bear."

"I've lived here since 1984 and have never seen a bear," she said.

She thought the bear was getting fish out of a nearby swamp and said he hadn't made an effort to get out of the tree.

"He's seemed very sweet," she said.

Tulsa Zoo workers came to the scene to capture the animal for relocation. The bear was anesthetized and given a medical exam at the scene. It was a  healthy male bear about 150 to 175 pounds.

Wild Heart Animal Sanctuary is nearby, and Animal Planet had a crew shooting at that site. Animal Planet sent the television crew to the scene to record the event.  The News On 6 had a crew there, as well.

"I knew when I got the call that it was imperative that I got everyone on seen immediately before this bear decided to come out of the tree and challenge people," said Annette Tucker, Wild Heart Animal Sanctuary.

Dulaney thought the zoo vets did a great job getting the bear safely out of the tree. They told her it was not common for the Wildlife Department to give permission for a bear to be relocated.

"We're very fortunate the bear will live another day, but hopefully not in my back yard," she said.

The Tulsa Zoo veterinarian says the bear was not injured when he fell out of the tree.  They're not saying where he was released only that it's far away from any residential areas. 

"They are a native species and so they are coming back, that's a good thing," said Dr. Kay Backues. "The good aspect of conservation is that native species come back, and we need to learn to live with them."