May 20--Colorado Springs Fire Department crews and wildlife officials joined forces Sunday to pull a 200-pound black bear from a tree off South Chelton Road and South Claremont Street.
Fire spokeswoman Sunny Smaldino said the bear was fully sedated by Parks and Wildlife workers and firefighters removed branches from the tree to bring the animal down safely around 8:00 p.m.
The bear was spotted around 3 p.m. but wildlife spokesman Michael Seraphin said the female bear had been there all day.
Officials' efforts to sedate the bear were initially unsuccessful and they had to shoot a second dart at it, Seraphin said.
The bear climbed so high up the tree that a fire department ladder truck was needed to reach it.
The bear will be released 100 miles away from the area Monday, Seraphin said.
Colorado Springs Police officers were at the scene to help with traffic and a crowd the gathered to watch.
Copyright 2013 - The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
