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Wildlife officials in Washington are asking for the public's help in looking for a "highly mobile" black bear in the Squak Mountain area south of Issaquah, according to KING 5.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) says the bear has been feasting on food from "improperly stored garbage" in suburban areas, backyards, and private properties. They've also reported the creature may have been in the Cougar Mountain area, as well.
This specific bear is wearing a collar the department uses to track it as part of a research project. The device, however, recently stopped sharing the bear's location data and has yet to fall off as designed.
"Our understanding is on this bear, the cotton spacing on the collar has lasted longer than it should. And the bear has become portly feeding on unsecured garbage and other non-natural food sources," the department wrote in a statement to KING 5. "This is really unfortunate, but we’re confident it will break and fall off."
Employees are also working on the next steps to trap and secure the bear. You can report any sightings of the black bear to WDFW by phone (360-902-2936), email (enforcement-web@dfw.wa.gov), or visit the department's website.
For information on how to properly secure your garbage cans and disposal units, click HERE.