Bear Roaming Buckhead Captured, Released In North Georgia

ATLANTA, GA -- A bear that had been reported in Buckhead around the Belvedere Drive area was recently captured and returned to the wild, according to state wildlife officials. A string of sightings were reported in recent days, with images posted on social media showing a young bear meandering in people's backyards.

Concerned residents had been contacting Atlanta police as well as local news stations about the bear, which prompted many pet owners to keep their animals inside. The bear even spurred a hilarious Twitter account, adding to the attention.

Pet owners can now rest easy, the "Buckhead Bear" has a new ZIP code. Georgia Department of Natural Resources officials confirmed to Patch that the bear was captured Saturday and has been relocated to the Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area just north of Gainesville.

"The bear was darted on Friday and we were able to successfully relocate the healthy bear in Northeast GA on Saturday," DNR spokesman Wes Robinson told Patch.

Image via DNR