Alaska hiker saved by live cam watchers tuning in to see 'fat bears'
Viewers leapt into action, and park rangers were able to rescue the man just a few hours later.
LEARN MOREPosted: 7:47 p.m. EDT Sep 18, 2023
It wasn't an escapee from the Country Bear Jamboree attraction, but a wild black bear managed to be the star of its own show Monday at Walt Disney World.
The presence of the black bear in a tree in the Magic Kingdom delayed the opening of three lands Monday morning — Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland — and caused long wait times amid word of the animal sighting.
Staffers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were at the park, attempting to capture and relocate the bear, Disney World said in a statement. The adult female animal was eventually captured Monday afternoon and relocated out of the park in or around the Ocala National Forest, the commission said.
The bear was likely in search of food as it looks to pack on fat reserves for the winter, the wildlife commission said in a statement.
"In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own, but given this situation, staff are working on capturing and relocating the bear," the wildlife commission said.
The wildlife commission estimates there are more than 4,000 black bears in Florida, with the most located in central Florida.
