April 25--State and local authorities asked residents in Duarte to stay inside after a bear cub was spotted Sunday afternoon near area homes and a public bike path.
The cub was first seen about 3 p.m., wandering by homes in the vicinity of Royal Oaks Drive and Cotter Avenue, said Lt. Ernest Bille of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The intersection is also near the Duarte bike path, a 1.6-mile trail popular among cyclists and runners.
The cub then climbed up and down a tree and was "hunkering down behind homes" while state Department of Fish and Wildlife staff sought to capture the animal, Bille said.
By 4:45 p.m., the cub had been tranquilized and was to undergo a quick evaluation before being returned to the wild later in the day, said Andrew Hughan, spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife agency.
Over the nearly two hours that the cub spent roaming the neighborhood, it was spotted near 2nd Street and Cotter Avenue. KCBS-TV Channel 2, which deployed a news helicopter above the neighborhood, reported that the bear was seen running in the neighborhood.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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