A young black bear was spotted near two schools in the city of Worcester in the US state of Massachusetts, prompting school authorities to keep students indoors for a short period.
The bear was seen on Thursday jumping over garden walls on Highland Street. Following the sighting, a nearby high school was placed under immediate lockdown.
Students remained inside their classrooms until the bear had left the area.
The bear was later seen on the campus of Clark University, nearly two miles away from the original location.
Police said the bear eventually returned to a wooded area on its own, while environmental police continued to monitor its movements.
Dave Wattles, black bear biologist at MassWildlife, said the animal is around 18 months old and was likely separated from its mother only recently.
“This bear is an adolescent trying to find its way in the world,” Wattles said.
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