The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office responded Friday night to a bear spotted in a tree behind townhomes on the Southside.
Wildlife officials tranquilized the bear, which was sitting in a tree in the Heron's Landing condo complex near Beach and Hodges boulevards.
JSO said the bear was agitated by the heat and people. Crews were waiting for the tranquilizer to take effect so they could safely move the bear.
"I was glad he had a gun if there's a big bear in the woods behind our house. It's kind of scary. This has never happened in the 12 years we've lived here," said neighbor Lynn Woyt.
Action News Jax's Danielle Avitable and Michael Yoshida tweeted from the scene:
It's hard to see but in between these two townhouses a bear is climbing a tree @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/z8s0IqYAo1
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
Officers are standing around with rifles in case the bear comes down here @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/A0g71SSwKv
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
I'm told they are waiting for FWC to bring a tranquilizer to get the bear @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/KgAudVIoe1
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
A neighbor on scene gave me this picture of the bear as it moving in the tree @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/kfyhaoucmU
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
A neighbor brought me to this portion of a broken fence. He thinks this is how the bear got in @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/M3OQzVPQX7
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
I'm being told the black bear is about 350lbs. Neighborhood is surrounded by a wooded area @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/OsEu0J7KFI
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
Officers are asking everyone to go inside so they can get the bear down. We are asked to be quiet @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/Qb2fSMe89x
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
Everyone is quietly waiting for the black bear to come down #bearwatch @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/kj4tKlJSat
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
#JSO officer standing guard behind a home. There's a black bear in the woods. #actionnewsjax pic.twitter.com/iEWxZB7Kzl
— Michael Yoshida (@Michael7News) June 4, 2016
I'm told the bear has to get closer to the ground before they can tranquilize it @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/cYfNhrBasr
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
The bear is moving his foot in the tree. The branches are shaking pretty hard @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/AeLiMFEUmw
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
The bear keeps climbing down and then up again. FWC is close by @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/X41aBNvNYK
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
I was just told by FWC that the biologist is on the way right now to tranquilize the bear @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/VzPyG5KZR1
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
FWC & #JSO on scene at Heron's Landing neighborhood #actionnewsjax pic.twitter.com/5QATzy4IVS
— Michael Yoshida (@Michael7News) June 4, 2016
FWC just walked near the tree with his gun @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/YXETn5Z8hN
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) June 4, 2016
FWC is firing tranquilizers at the bear. I believe I've heard two shots #ANjaxBREAKING pic.twitter.com/SS7AECtBxP
— Michael Yoshida (@Michael7News) June 4, 2016
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