June 10–A bear and her two cubs found in trees on Fort Huachuca were safely removed and relocated by Arizona Game and Fish Department officers last week, the agency said.
The bear and cubs were found in separate trees Friday morning, said Mark Hart, a Game and Fish spokesman.
Officials believe the family was foraging for food in garbage cans and may have been startled by something that caused them to climb up trees, Hart said. The cubs were about 100 yards from their mother.
The adult bear climbed down but was treed again by officers to prevent the family from splitting up, Hart said. At that point she was about 200 yards away from the cubs.
Firefighters lifted a Game and Fish officer in a bucket so he could get the cubs down by hand.
The officer placed one of the cubs, which weighed between 10 and 15 pounds, into a kennel and held the other one as they were lowered to the ground, Hart said.
Officers used a tranquilizer to get the female bear out of the other tree.
All three bears were released at another location.
Contact reporter Veronica Cruz at [email protected] or 573-4224.