POCATELLO — A black bear was spotted on Thursday evening near the Satterfield Drive area in northeastern Pocatello.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game said wildlife biologists confirmed that the bear was seen near Summit Drive.
Initially, the Pocatello Police Department received a report of a mountain lion sighting in the 3300 block of Summit Drive on Thursday.
Officers with Fish and Game and Animal Control responded to the scene, but no mountain lion was found. However, authorities said a local resident captured the animal in question on video.
After wildlife biologists reviewed the footage, they determined that the animal was actually a black bear.
Judging from the footage, Fish and Game officials said that the bear appeared to be passing through the area.
According to Jennifer Jackson, regional conservation educator with Idaho Fish and Game, it is uncommon to see black bears so close to Pocatello but it is not out of the realm of possibility.
In August 2016, Fish and Game officials attempted to capture a black bear that had reportedly caused some damage to a couple of homes in the Buckskin area near Pocatello. At one home, the bear had apparently pushed in a window screen and entered a residential basement, while another homeowner said a bear had scratched a hot tub cover.
Efforts to trap the bear were unsuccessful and it is assumed the bear moved on from the area.
According to Fish and Game, homeowners living in areas where bears can be found are advised to keep pet food stored indoors and make sure to clean barbecue grills after use because the smell of food can be an attractant. Homeowners should also consider bringing in bird feeders, which can also be tempting to bears.
The incident on Thursday was one of numerous reports of wild animal sightings in the Gate City area. On May 11, a mountain lion on Red Hill Trail near Idaho State University was darted and moved out of the area.
Fish and Game said there have been multiple reported mountain lion sightings in the area after the May 11 incident, but these reports have not been verified due to either a lack of evidence or possible misidentification.
On Tuesday, officers with both Fish and Game and the Pocatello Police Department responded to a report of a moose at Memorial Park in Pocatello. The animal was successfully darted by conservation officers and transported to a remote location away from people and cities.
