A bear that attracted public attention and was christened "Bruno" by social media users was sedated and transported to suitable habitat outside the urban area, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Bruno, an adult male bear, had attracted extensive attention on social media, having multiple Facebook pages created for him and a combined total of more than 120,000 followers.
The bear is suspected to have traveled from Wisconsin, through Illinois, and into Missouri. He was first spotted June 30 in Missouri near Elsberry, after which he made his way into St. Charles County. MDC staff received reports of the bear as he continued to travel through Missouri.
Missouri conservation agents said the bear appeared Sunday morning within the city limits of Wentzville and cornered himself just north of I-70 and near I-40/61. MDC Protection Capt. Scott Corley credited the St. Charles County and Wentzville Police Departments for their assistance in the situation and in managing the crowd of more than 400 onlookers who gathered at the scene.
MDC officials said in a news release the department doesn't generally immobilize dispersing bears. Given the bear's location and safety considerations, staff on scene determined this was necessary and the situation allowed for it to be done.
MDC frequently receives reports of bears throughout the southern half of Missouri, where it's estimated there are 540-840 bears. Missouri's bear population is growing by about 9 percent annually, and dispersing bears have appeared in the greater St. Louis area before, a trend MDC officials said is likely to continue with the growing bear population.