Young Black Bear Briefly Visits Sequoia Park Zoo

A young wild American black bear wandered into Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California, and spent about 20 minutes calmly peering and interacting through fencing with the zoo’s three resident black bears—Tule, Ishŭng and Kunabulilh. Zoo staff spotted the animal during a pre-opening inspection, activated emergency procedures and, with assistance from the Eureka Police Department and a California Department of Fish and Wildlife warden, safely coaxed it back through a service gate into the adjacent 60–67-acre Sequoia Park. Officials said the bear did not enter any animal habitats or make contact with visitors and appeared nonaggressive; at least one account reported that authorities used nonlethal hazing to discourage it from returning to developed areas. Perimeter fencing was intact and staff do not know how the bear accessed the grounds, speculating it may have climbed a tree to get over. The zoo described the encounter as a “polite” visit, emphasized that wild animals frequently use the nearby park, said the incident ended without injury or property damage, and will continue monitoring local wildlife activity.