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Black Bear Captured Near Elementary School

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FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Wildlife officials say they spent more than eight hours removing a young black bear from the grounds of a southwest Florida school.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer Stuart Spoede told local media outlets that the 260-pound bear had been spotted near Three Oaks Elementary School in Fort Myers last week and then returned early Wednesday.

Officials say the school was placed on a modified lock down with limited foot traffic as officers corralled the bear up a short tree, shot him with a tranquilizer dart and caught him in a tarp.

Spoede says the animal hasn't previously been tagged as a "nuisance bear," so he'll be relocated rather than euthanized.

No injuries were reported.