MESA, Ariz. – Wildlife managers say they believe the black bear that eluded capture in a Phoenix suburb earlier this week finally has been caught.
The bear was captured Christmas morning in the backyard of an empty home in eastern Mesa.
Authorities spotted the animal around 5 a.m. and followed it to a neighborhood. They set up a perimeter, and a wildlife officer shot it with a tranquilizer dart.
Arizona Game and Fish Department spokeswoman Amy Burnett tells KSAZ (http://bit.ly/1EjYxuV ) that the bear — a 125-pound male that's about 2 to 3 years old — likely will be relocated to the Tonto National Forest after it's evaluated.
It was first spotted Monday bounding through an alfalfa field but proved elusive after entering a tree- and shrub-filled area. Officials say the sighting is rare for the Phoenix metro area.
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Information from: KSAZ-TV, http://www.myfoxphoenix.com