GLEASON, WI (WSAU-WAOW) — Drivers in the Lincoln County town of Gleason had strange encounters with a black bear Friday.
The 90-pound bear crossed into traffic on State Highway 17 and began interacting with the vehicles without fear, according to Mark Naniot of animal rehab center Wild Insticts, who spoke with Newsline 9.
Naniot said, “The bear was going up to cars, and coming right up to a car, feeding at the windows, licking the cars, things like that. It obviously is very used to people.”
The 90-pound bear crossed into traffic on State Highway 17 and began interacting with the vehicles without fear, which could be a sign of a larger problem according to Naniot.
He said, “The best thing to do is not feed [bears]. Scare them away from you ares, becuase otherwise you can have a situation where now this bear is confused about what it’s supposed to do, who it’s supposed to be, and ends up paying the price.”
Feeding bears can break them from their natural hunting instincts. Wild Instincts will monitor the bear after the winter for any behavioral issues.
