00:00Unexpected visitor, wild black bear sneaks into zoo, says hello to residents.
00:06Visitors at Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California, were surprised when a wild American black bear wandered into the zoo.
00:13According to People Magazine, on October 17th, the zoo shared on Instagram that staff discovered the unexpected guest during their daily inspection of the Redwood Skywalk.
00:23According to the zoo, the bear did not appear aggressive, and was even spotted interacting with the zoo's resident black bears, Thule, Ischung, and Nabu, through their habitat fencing.
00:35A zoo photo shows the wild bear leaning over a railing to watch the resident bears, while another image shows it calmly walking through a forested area of the zoo.
00:45Overall, he was a very polite visitor, the zoo joked.
00:48He stayed on the boardwalk path, kept two feet on the ground, and didn't try to climb over the railings.
00:55Once the bear was spotted, the zoo said, emergency procedures were implemented, with assistance from the Eureka Police Department and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
01:05After a brief exploration of enrichment items around the nighthouse, the bear was safely coaxed back into the woods through a service gate, the zoo said.
01:14Now, this was an exemplary execution of our emergency systems.
01:18Which resulted in the best outcome for everyone involved, including the bear, the zoo added.
01:25Zoo director Jim Campbell-Spickler told the San Francisco Chronicle that the bear likely entered by climbing a tree but was not able to get out, until staff opened a service gate.
01:35He estimated the bear was about one and a half years old, and weighed around 150 pounds.
01:40He was just a curious guy, Campbell-Spickler said, adding that the animal was not aggressive in any way.
01:49The zoo confirmed that its perimeter fencing remains intact and secure, noting that Sequoia Park is home to wild bears and other animals.
01:57Fishels reminded visitors to observe wildlife from a distance, stay on marked trails, and always be aware of their surroundings.
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