bear in yard ontario

Cops are on the hunt for a mischievous Ontario black bear accused of trespassing

A black bear is on the run from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Tuesday after a not-at-all-tense standoff between the tree-climbing ursine animal and cops.

Oh, and the police released a mugshot. Of an actual bear. A very confused-looking bear.

OPP Central Region's Twitter account shared the dramatic saga of a young black bear who invaded a tree in the yard of a Penetanguishene home.

Police and Huronia Animal Control were called to the scene of the Harriet Street home after reports of a black bear, who, indeed, was found just casually chilling in a tree amid a fresh layer of snow in the home's back yard.

One photo, presented in a tweet as a mugshot of sorts, is actually just an image taken from the province's bear safety website, but with the completely unexplainable addition of cute bear paw prints in the background.

Reports of the bear's tree incursion had some commenters worried that the animal was in danger, citing other instances of bears straying into urban areas and ultimately losing their lives through the response of police and animal control.

Despite attempts to formulate a plan to remove the bear from the tree, the bear stealthily disappeared into the night. Which was probably the best outcome for everyone.

Bewildered law enforcement — in an apparent attempt to deflect from losing their prime suspect — reported that the now-fugitive animal returned to nature on Tuesday morning.

A bear in a tree is not going to overshadow the enduring novelty of a well-dressed monkey in an IKEA parking lot or a dead raccoon memorial-turned-viral internet sensation.

But just look at that ridiculous mugshot (and questionable bear pawprint background), picture a bear not understanding why a camera is being pointed at it, and try not to smile.

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