Bear tranquillized after wandering onto campus
Image: Andy Duann, CU Independent
A large male black bear weighing 200lbs has been tranquillized, tagged and returned to the wild after wandering onto the campus of the University of Colorado – Boulder and taking up residence in a tree close to the University's Williams Village dormitories. ‘He was just resting up in the tree probably for a good two hours,’ said CU Police Department Spokesman Ryan Huff.
Wildlife officials, electing to sedate the bear in the interest of safety, shot the bear with a pair of tranquillizer darts as the University's students watched. It then fell fifteen feet from the tree onto pre-positioned mats, landing on its back, and was then caged prior to transport. Some of the braver students present stroked the bear through the bars.
A spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed that the bear was subsequently released in the mountains to the west of the city before speculating that the bear had recently emerged from hibernation and wandered into the area in search of food.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
