Enlarge Video 
Download Video
Video RSS
Waterless Bay
By
CBS News
Published: Fri, May 30, 2008 - 1:37 pm
A Louisiana black bear roaming far from home has captured the attention of everyone in the Meridian, Mississippi area. The bear was first spotted Wednesday (5-28) not far from the city limits. Wildlife officials set up cameras and caught the bear on tape. They then actually caught the bear in a trap - and tagged it.
The experts say it's a three-year-old male Louisiana black bear that weighs 180-pounds. They collected hair and tissue samples for testing. They even tried pulling a tooth to determine the bear's age, but it wasn't sedated enough, so they gave up doing that.
After putting on a G-P-S tracking collar, the bear was released where they found it, so they can monitor his movements and travel patterns. The hunter who discovered the bear's tracks says he never would have guessed they were from a bear.
No one knows where the bear came from, but officials speculate he could have come from the Mobile Bay area or coastal Louisiana. Even though black bears are an endangered species in Mississippi, the state says sightings have been on the rise in the last few years.
After monitoring the bear's movement for a while, officials say they will track him down next winter for another physical evaluation.
News Map
Email to a Friend 
Printer Friendly 
Recent Commented: News Reports
Tropical Storm Gustav Making…
Out Of Gas
Jackson Man Says He Helped Feed…
MEMA Making Gustav Evacuation…
Tropical Storm Hanna Forms in…
State Of Emergency In Louisiana…