Black Bear Sighting Occurs Near Washington Park in Albany, NY

A black bear in New York took a nap in a tree while authorities stopped all vehicular and pedestrian traffic nearby and figured out how to get it down. The bear was spotted in the area of Washington Park in Albany early Tuesday morning before climbing the tree on State Street. Albany police and officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation were on the scene to remove the bear. The NYSDEC team put down crash beds and safety netting before chemically immobilizing the bear. Once immobilized, the bear was scooped up in a safety net. Police say the bear will receive a medical evaluation, then be released into the woods of the Catskill Mountains.