Bears spotted by road, one hit by car

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A bear hit by a car Monday morning on Route 58 in Suffolk has been removed from the roadway. Two bear cubs were also rescued from a tree nearby.

Suffolk police received several calls around 7:30 a.m. reporting the sighting of multiple bears on Route 58 westbound near the downtown Suffolk exit.

Officers discovered two bear cubs, both male, estimated to be 30 to 45 lbs. in size, stranded in a tree.

Police said their mother, who was between two and two and a half-years-old , was killed after being struck by a car while crossing the highway.

The bear cubs were rescued after being stranded in a tree for four hours. The cubs were tranquilized to aid authorities in getting them down from the tree.

The cubs will be taken to the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro on October 18. There they will be examined by the a team of wildlife veterinarians.

Aaron Proctor, District Wildlife Biologist, said, “This is the third time I’ve responded to a bear rescue this year. We are seeing more bears due to a good reproductive season and the heavy amount of rain which has pushed the bears into different areas.”

Police said alternate lanes of Route 58 westbound were closed for short periods of time during the incident.

Members of the Suffolk Police Department, Suffolk Animal Control, Suffolk Traffic Engineering Division, and the Virginia Department of Transportation joined with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to rescue the bears.

Below is some helpful information which may be useful to the public in the event they encounter a bear, courtesy of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries:

** Unprovoked bear attacks are very rare, and have never been documented in Virginia **

If you do meet a bear here are some suggestions:

• Stay calm. If you see a bear and it has not seen you, calmly leave the area. As you move away, make noise to let the bear discover your presence.
• Stop. Back away slowly while facing the bear. Give the bear plenty of room to escape. Bears rarely attack people unless they feel cornered or provoked.
• Do not run or make any sudden movements. Running could prompt the bear to give chase, and you cannot outrun a bear. If on a trail, step off the trail and slowly leave the area.
• If there is a bear in your yard and it approaches you, make yourself look big and make loud noises. Remain at a safe distance and throw rocks to make the bear feel unwelcome.
• If there is a bear in your house prop open all doors to the outside and get out of the way of the exit. Never close a bear into a room. Make noises and yell at bear to leave the house. Don't approach the bear but make sure it knows it is violating your territory.
• If you surprise a bear speak softly. This may reassure the bear that you mean it no harm.
• Fight back. If a black bear attacks you, fight back. Black bears have been driven away when people have fought back with rocks, sticks, binoculars and even their bare hands.

On the Web --

More information from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries