It looks like the current loneliness epidemic has struck the animal kingdom, too. The Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California, found a wild black bear who snuck inside to observe 3 bears that live in a habitat inside the zoo. The interloper was discovered when staff were doing a routine inspection of the Redwood Sky Walk.
A staff member found the bear leaning on a gate to peer into the resident black bears’ habitat. “The wild bear did not appear aggressive and was observed interacting with Tule, Ishŭng, and Kunabulilh through their habitat fencing,” the zoo’s Facebook post reads.
During their visit the wild animal didn’t enter any of the enclosures, just observed through them. Along with a “brief exploration of the enrichment items.”
The park reached out to the Eureka Police Department around 9:30 A.M.. They responded alongside the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. These departments were able to keep visitors at bay while they escorted the bear out.
It’s believed that the animal came from the 60-acre Sequoia Park directly behind the zoo, which is where they were released to. How the bear got in is still up for debate, considering all perimeter fencing separating the facility from the park was secure. Because of this, “the bear was safely coaxed back into the woods through a service gate.”
Park officials believe the animal worked its way inside because they were lonely.
“Overall, he was a very polite visitor. He stayed on the boardwalk path, kept two feet on the ground, and didn’t try to climb over the railings,” the post reads.
So they are doing a lot better than some human guests.
