From the scanner: Someone called 911 to report a “small bear cub” seen near 35th SW/SW Trenton. The dispatcher told officers it would be reported to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Checking our archives, we had a bear-sighting report five years ago, in the Beach Drive greenbelt vicinity.
My partner was walking this guy on 35th yesterday, and people are always accusing him of being a bear, but alas they were further north.
There was a bear a few years, maybe longer, that crossed from the peninsula to vashon des Moines I5 Kent valley to Covington before it was caught.
Sad. Fish & Wildlife will probably just shoot it. They are absolutely the last people you want showing up if you’re a wild animal.
I’m sure Fish and Wildlife will not “just shoot the bear” I’m almost positive they will try and trap humanly and relocate if it is old enough to be on its own. The only reason they would kill is if it attacked a person or was hurt itself.
Not true with bears. They normally trap and release. Urban Phantom for example was released back into the Cascades after a two-week bear hunt.
SPD vs Bear. https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Bear-spotted-near-UW-killed-1204080.php
Not locally, no, it doesn’t get cold enough here. But it is definitely the wrong time of year for a “small” bear cub to be around anyplace.
How would a bear get to WS? Wow. Curious to see if it really is a bear or just a big ole coon?
A stow away after a day in the mountains? It’s not uncommon for backpackers to bring back small mammals unknowingly, but a bear would seem a bit of a stretch. I’m curious to hear the whole story. Was it found last night because of all our garbage cans being full?
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. It’s very uncommon for backpackers to “accidentally” being a bear back with them. You don’t know what you are talking about.
A long swim across Puget Sound is not unprecedented. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/swim-the-sound-in-fur-coat-bears-behavior-is-a-bit-fishy/
I was on watch that day at CG Vessel Traffic Service Puget Sound when we got the call from the man at Pt. Robinson Lighthouse. The bear didn’t check in with us and was not monitoring channel 14 on the radio during his transit, so I notified a southbound ship approaching the point to be on the lookout. The ship’s pilot had a good chuckle, but didn’t see him. If I remember correctly, he was last seen near Auburn.
I think buses, emergency vehicles, those with proper credentials, and small bears can use the lower bridge anytime.
I’m betting it was one of the above, and not a small bear cub! I don’t see how a “small” cub could even survive on its own.
My guess is that the bear wanted to get in to West Seattle before the fines start on the low level bridge.
Unlikely, as cubs are not born in the Fall. More likely a bobcat which can be furry this time of year, is about the same size as a cub and very muscular, with a bobbed tail.
I bet it came over with that elephant I saw at 38th and Cloverdale.
Hope there are more sightings so we can figure out the mystery! Black bears are born in mid January to early Feb., so there’s no way a bear born almost a year ago would still be small. Has to be something else.
Nothing further – neither officially nor anyone coming forward to say “Yeah, I saw that.” I’m asking Seattle Animal Shelter if they’ve dealt with any in-city bears recently.
Wasn’t it a year or two ago either a cougar or a mountain lion was videoed in Mercer Island?
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Guess we’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.
I have it on good authority that it was actually the WS turkey I’m her halloween costume.
I bear could actually live in the greenbelt below my house un detected. There have been, raccoons, coyotes, possums, mountain beavers, many bunnies and a fox while I have lived here. Why not a bear? I love it!
I’ve been wondering about the turkey. We haven’t had any reports in a while about our West Seattle turkey friend. ???
Published last month:
https://westseattleblog.com/2020/11/for-everyone-who-wondered-what-ever-happened-to-the-west-seattle-turkey/
I’m off of 35th and Othello and we have a older racoon with no tail that to some could look like a bear cub I guess. Lol
We are close to 34th and Kenyon and have seen the tail-less raccoon who could very easily look similar to a baby bear… we had one years ago that had been injured and had no tail and a sad drag of his body. You would think you were in the twilight zone watching the poor creature. Happy New Bear 🌟
My last sighting of bears on our peninsula was in White Center at ‘The Lumberyard’ before the COVID shutdown.
My first time on westseattleblog. What an interesting and fun thread! Thanks, neighbors!
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