TAMPA, Fla. — A black bear was seen wandering at an airport in Tampa on Tuesday and was captured the following day.
In a news release, Tampa International Airport said a Transportation Security Administration employee noticed a black bear walking along the fence at the airport Tuesday afternoon and reported it to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority.
Airport employees, wildlife management, Tampa Police Department, Tampa Fire Rescue and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, worked together to watch the bear overnight and prepare to trap it, according to the news release per the Tampa Bay Times.
Police helicopters circled the area and watched for the bear as it slept at the airport, the news release said, according to the Times. The bear didn’t reemerge until Wednesday morning after it slept in the woods nearby.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission tried to tranquilize the bear but failed both times, WFLA reported. Eventually, the bear entered a trap.
“Thanks to these critical efforts, there was no risk to any employees or disruptions to Airport operations,” TPA Executive Vice President of Operations and John Tiliacos said in the news release.
The bear sighting at the airport is a first. No flight disruptions were reported.
The bear was relocated to the Ocala National Forest in Central Florida, according to the news release.
