SPRINGVILLE, Utah — Police in Springville warned residents about a bear sighting Wednesday.
Springville Police tweeted about a bear sighting near 1100 South Oakleaf Lane around 10:36 a.m. and asked the public to avoid the area.
Springville Police told Fox 13 the bear was spotted heading up a canyon on the eastern edge of the city.
Police were not able to locate the animal and believe it is in the woods. They notified wildlife officials about the sighting.
The sighting comes one day after a bear was euthanized in Hobble Creek Canyon after an encounter with a Boy Scout troop, during which one boy suffered minor cuts.
No further details about Wednesday’s sighting were immediately available. Fox 13 News will update this story as more details emerge.
Wild Aware Utah provides tips for avoiding animal encounters and advice for what to do in the case of an attack.Click here for their page on bears and see below for their tips on reacting to a bear encounter:
If You Encounter A Bear
- Stand your ground. Never back up, lie down or play dead. Stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Prepare to use your bear spray or another deterrent.
- Don’t run away or climb a tree. Black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 miles per hour—you cannot outclimb or outrun them.
- Know bear behavior. If a bear stands up, grunts, woofs, moans or makes other sounds, it’s not being aggressive. These are ways a bear gets a better look or smell and expresses its interest.
If A Bear Attacks
- Use bear spray. Then leave the area. Studies have shown bear spray to be 92 percent successful in deterring bear attacks.
- Shoot to kill. If you use a firearm, never fire a warning shot-aim for the center of the bear and keep firing until it is dead. Notify the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources immediately.
- Always fight back. And never give up! People have successfully defended themselves with almost anything: rocks, sticks, backpacks, water bottles and even their hands and feet.
