Black Bear Found “Interacting” with Traffic in Northern Wisconsin

LINCOLN COUNTY, WIS. (WSAW) A black bear was taken to an animal rehabilitation facility after several Lincoln County drivers reported it “interacting” with traffic Friday.

According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the bear was wandering onto State Road 17, north of Gleason.

When a state trooper responded, he found that the bear would stand on its hind legs and peer into passing cars.

The 2-year-old, 90 lb. bear was safely taken to Wild Instincts, a non-profit animal rehabilitation facility in Rhinelander, where it will be allowed to hibernate for the rest of the winter.

The sheriff’s office said the bear could have been displaced by a number of factors, such as hunters, snowmobilers, loggers or warm temperatures.

The bear will be re-evaluated in the spring to make sure a medical condition did not cause its unusual behavior.