Skip Maine state header navigation

Agencies | Online Services | Help

Skip First Level Navigation | Skip All Navigation

Home > News and Events > Press Releases

Press Releases

Contact: Edie Smith, Spokesperson
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333


Telephone: work (207) 592-4348

Fax: (207) 287-6395

October 18, 2010

Injured Black Bear Recovered from Downtown Bangor; Later Euthanized

Augusta, Maine - Two wildlife biologists and a game warden with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife recovered a 2-year-old male black bear from underneath the Kenduskeag Stream Bridge on Central Street in Bangor this morning.

Bangor Bear

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist Randy Cross tends to a black bear on Monday, Oct. 18, from underneath the Kenduskeag Stream Bridge in Bangor while Game Warden Jim Fahey awaits in a canoe.

The injured black bear, which appeared malnourished for its age, was reported to be at the stream at approximately 2 a.m. today. The Bangor Police Department contacted the Maine Warden Service, and MDIF&W Wildlife Biologists Jennifer Vashon and Randy Cross and Game Warden Jim Fahey, all based in Bangor, responded to the scene adjacent to Bagel Central.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. today, Fahey and Cross paddled a canoe upstream at high tide to reach the bear. Fahey said the only way to locate the bear this morning was from stream level because of the way it situated itself directly under the bridge. Cross climbed the stone wall to the bear’s location, sedated it and lowered it to the canoe.

The bear was transported to Veazie Veterinary Clinic on State Street, where Dr. David Cloutier and staff assessed the bear’s injuries. It was determined, however, that the bear recently had suffered a high impact injury to its lower jaw consistent to a gunshot wound, and the bear was no longer able to eat. Because its injuries were too severe to reconstruct the jaw, the bear was humanly euthanized.

It is unknown how the bear was shot, where it was shot or by whom.

The Department greatly appreciates the help of Dr. Cloutier and his staff.