Bear wandering near 210 Freeway in Pasadena

A black bear wandered alarmingly close to the 210 Freeway in Pasadena on Thursday as wildlife officials and other authorities tried to tranquilize it and take it back into the forest.

The bear -- estimated to be 3 years old and weigh 275 pounds -- was first reported about 3:30 p.m. near Cleveland Elementary School at 524 Palisades St., California Fish and Wildlife spokesman Andrew Hughan said.

Television footage showed the bear going through yards and the Brookside Golf Course as it wandered closer to the freeway.

At one point, the animal was about 20 yards from the eastbound lanes of the 210, according to a California Highway Patrol online incident log. Television footage showed the bear approaching the guardrail, then backing away from the traffic and returning to more open space.

California Highway Patrol cars and photographers soon arrived in the area.

Hughan said the warden tracking the bear was “one of the most capable that we have” and would “make a decision and do everything he can to protect the bear.”

Officials would try to “keep the bear off the freeway at all costs,” he said.

“We’ll get this guy tranquilized and back into the forest,” he said.

Authorities said they will stay on the scene until the bear goes into the forest on its own or “action is necessary.”

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