Authorities Chase Black Bear Into Tree, Capture it Hours Later [Update]

Update at 5:10 p.m. Sunday

The bear, about a year old and 130 lbs. was tranquilized and captured. Wildlife authorities were working to determine if the bear had been previously tagged. It will later be released into the wild.

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Wildlife authorities spent hours attempting to tranquilize a bear that perched himself in a tree close to the Ridgewood community garden on Meadowbrook Ave.

It's the second bear sighting in Ridgewood in the last five days.

A New Jersey Fish & Wildlife officer said Sunday afternoon that they waited for the small black bear to move to a lower branch to be tranquilized. The bear will be tagged and later released into the more wooded parts of North Jersey, the Fish & Wildlife officer said.

The bear was first seen in Paramus at 1 a.m. before being spotted in Ridgewood at about 10 a.m., NJ.com reported. A resident told Patch he saw police officers pursuing the bear with weapons drawn on Deerfield Street at around 11:30 a.m.

By noon, news crews and a large crowd of residents had gathered near the community garden.

A 125 lbs. yearling black bear was captured Tuesday afternoon near Orchard Elementary School.

Check back for updates.