Some Orlando residents got quite a surprise in the treetops Tuesday morning: A black bear was spotted in the College Park neighborhood.

  • Bear, thought to be juvenile, found temporary home in College Park tree
  • Black bear drew crowds of onlookers
  • Wildlife contractors used paintball gun to shoot at black bear

The bear was in the backyard of a home on the corner of Country Club Drive and Edgewater Court.

Throughout most of the day, the sidewalk was packed with onlookers trying to get a glimpse of the bear that wandered out of the woods and into College Park.

Since about 9 a.m., Orlando Police received calls from people spotting the bear high in an oak tree.

Contractors with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came to the scene to check on the bear's well-being.

Officials think the black bear is a young adult of about 2 years old.

For more than five hours, the bear huddled between the branches not in any hurry to move from that spot, even when scattered showers came through the area.

The rain didn't even deter the curiosity of nearby neighbors trying to capture a photo of the bear. Most said they're not surprised when wildlife strays down their streets.

"We've had bears in here before, so they're just heading down the track, just trying to find a place to sleep," Annette Irvine said.

By mid-afternoon, wildlife officials said they were concerned that the bear had not moved on without help, especially with so many people gathering. So the contractors used a paintball gun to shoot at the bear. The bear then quickly climbed down the tree and made a run for it.

FWC said they think the bear ran back to its home and shouldn't be returning to this area anytime soon. They added that there have been several sightings of bears and coyotes in this area over the years.

Before using a paintball gun, there were other methods that were considered to bring the visiting bear down from his temporary home.

"We really like for the bear to come down and exit on its own. That's the safest method," FWC spokesman Greg Workman said. "Darting a bear comes with additional risks. We recommend that people stay away to have the bear comfortable enough to come down on its own," he said.