HELENA — Authorities tranquilized and captured a black bear in a Helena mobile home park Tuesday morning.
It happened around 9 a.m., in the McHugh Mobile Home Park, on the city’s north side. Helena Animal Control responded to the area, where a bear was found high up in a tree. Officials made the decision to tranquilize the bear in the tree for the safety of the surrounding area.
Game Warden Sgt. Justin Hawkaluk told MTN they intended to capture the bear alive and relocate it. However, the bear did not survive due to the impact of the fall.
The 340-pound male was taken to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks facility on Custer Avenue.
The McHugh Mobile Home Park bear is the second black bear in the Helena valley Hawkaluk responded to on Tuesday. At around 3:00 a.m. Hawkaluk responded to another black bear call in East Helena near East Clark Street. A male black bear was found on the roof of a home in the area. Wardens were able to tranquilize the animal and relocate it.
People have reported a number of bear sightings in the Helena area in recent weeks. On Sept. 11, a female black bear was captured near the intersection of 6th Avenue and Raleigh Street.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information about how the bear died and a second bear encounter in East Helena.
