MIDDLETON–On June 2 at approximately 6:06 a.m., residents of Middleton reported seeing a black bear swimming in Lake Mendota and on land near the 2300 block of Middleton Beach Road. It eventually went into a wooded area and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff arrived to assist. They determined that the bear should be left alone and that it would likely leave the area by this evening.
Since the report on Tuesday was announced, a resident contacted the Police Department and advised that she saw the bear at approximately 5 a.m. on the morning of June 1. At that time the bear was seen in the Pheasant Branch Conservancy north of Century Avenue in the area behind Highland Way.
Short video clips can be found on the Middleton Police Department social media sites.
According to the DNR, bears are normally shy around humans and avoid them as much as possible. It is important to reinforce this fear by scaring bears away so that conflicts are reduced.
