COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
Butch and Sundance are grizzly bears at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, and while they're different from the black bear that made its way through Camden, they still have some of the same habits.
Just like brown bears, black bears enjoy fruits and plants, but also eat meat.
"The average black bear is around 200-250 pounds so, it's a much smaller animal," said the zoo's Scott Pfaff.
Because the Camden bear was treed, the Department of Natural Resources got involved.
"When a bear is treed, it essentially has no where else to go and if a crowd gathers around it that just further exacerbates the situation," said DNR's Jay Butfiloski.
Pfaff says it's best to simply leave the bears alone.
"If you see one in your backyard that's rummaging through your trash can, leave it alone and if you see a bear, especially that has cubs don't approach the animal," Pfaff said.
Here are the "bear" facts: garbage cans, bird feeders, outside pet bowls, and grills can attract the animals, like any wildlife.
"Anything that puts off odors does attract wildlife and could cause other problems," Butfiloski said.
There are over 400 Palmetto State bear sightings each year. They wander the state's waterways, bringing them through the midlands.
"River corridors and larger creeks form natural areas for them to move up and down, there's more food there and they tend to be more forested," Pfaff said.
It's breeding season and bear cubs are being pushed out on their own, and that's likely what occurred with the Camden bear.
"If you give it space, if you don't corner it, if you don't kind of cause it to react, then given time it will wander on to wherever it was headed to," Butfiloski said.
DNR has relocated that bear caught last night into a less populated area.
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