STANWOOD — It might be having a picnic, but it’s no teddy bear.
State wildlife officials were still trying to trap a 200-pound black bear grazing in the I-5 median east of Stanwood as of late Thursday.
It’s believed the bear set up camp in the wide median between Highway 532 and 300th Street NW over the weekend and has been munching on the grass.
Several drivers called 911 after they reported seeing the bear on Sunday, said Sgt. Randy Lambert of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
So far, the bear has not caused a problem but could endanger itself or drivers if it gets onto the freeway, Lambert said.
“What I don’t want is people stopping and taking pictures,” he said.
Lambert loaded a trap with doughnuts and maple syrup Tuesday, he said. Later, another Department of Fish and Wildlife employee sweetened the pot.
“I think she had some old meat in the fridge she wanted to get rid of,” Lambert said. “It’s a smorgasbord.”
As of Thursday night, the bear still hadn’t taken the bait.
The trap consists of a section of pipeline about 8 feet long and 4 or 5 feet in diameter, closed on one end and with a door that snaps shut on the other.
It’s attached to a trailer so that after the animal is secured, state wildlife officials can simply hook it up to a truck and drive off, Lambert said.
If they catch the bear, they’ll release it into the wild in a remote location.
“I’ve got a bunch of hay and straw in there so it’s a nice soft ride,” he said.
Lambert got within 20 feet of the bear on Monday but isn’t sure if it’s male or female. It appears healthy, he said.
He believes the same bear pulled the same trick last year. Officials tried to catch it without success.
“Sometimes it takes a week” for a bear to be trapped, Lambert said. “Sometimes they don’t ever go in it.”
The median, between 300th Street NW and Highway 532, has a wooded area that animals can hide in. It’s possible the bear reached the median through a large culvert under the freeway, said Michael MacDonald, a regional wildlife biologist for the state Department of Transportation.
“Wildlife in our medians is nothing new,” he said. “This is a habitat niche. It works out well for them.”
State trooper Brandon Lee said the Washington State Patrol is ready to assist in case wildlife officials need traffic control.
Drivers should be careful on that stretch of road, Lee said.
“People need to understand that there is a bear in the median but I-5 is not a place to stop and take pictures of the bear. We don’t want any collisions caused by that.”
Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439, sheets@heraldnet.com.
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