A TPD officer spotted a black bear running through the streets near Busch Gardens Tuesday morning and called authorities to come handle the situation before anyone -- including the bear -- got hurt.
The officer was responding to an unrelated call and saw a "large animal" running by, according to TPD.
Despite proximity, Busch Gardens confirmed they were not missing any animals. FWC was taking on the case.
Police officers and FWC officials closed in on the animal as it sat in a tree near 46th and Linebaugh Ave., just south of Adventure Island. The animal had been moving from yard to yard in the area.
Trappers arrived on scene at roughly 7:30 a.m.
A biologist with FWC came to the scene with a tranquilizer gun.
The bear was shot with a tranquilizer dart and safely fell onto a "bear bag" -- which is basically a big tarp to catch the bear.
FWC crews drove the bear away in an enclosed trailer. It will be relocated to the Ocala National Forest.
