Black Bear Captured South Of Bellevue

A black bear that apparently had been frequenting the suburbs east of Seattle was headed back to the mountains, courtesy of animal control officers.

The bear was caught Thursday night in a cougar trap in woods in Newcastle, south of Bellevue.

The bear was tranquilized and transferred to a standard bear cage before being transported to a remote site.

Numerous bear sightings have been reported in residential areas around Bellevue in recent weeks. Game wardens said there may be more than one bear.

The capture followed another wildlife encounter Thursday morning in West Seattle, when residents spotted a 2-foot-long bobcat.

Animal Control officers captured the cat with a fish net. The officers, who initially suspected they had a wild cat on their hands, took it to the PAWS shelter in Lynnwood and learned that someone had already called to claim it.

“Apparently it just got loose,” said Officer John Megow. “(The owner) was visiting the area.”