TEMPLETON, Mass. — A portion of a Massachusetts highway was shut down while state wildlife officials moved a family of bears that had set up a den in the median.
State police shut down a stretch of Route 2 in Templeton on Thursday morning while state environmental police tranquilized the mother bear and relocated her and cubs to a safer location in a nearby state forest.
🐻 #MAtraffic; At approx 10am, Route 2 EB & WB will be shut down at exits 19 & 20 in #Templeton, to allow @MAEnviroPolice to relocate a bear family from their den which is currently in the median.
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) March 14, 2019
Please plan ahead. The road will only be closed as long as necessary.
Everything went beary well! Mother 🐻 was tranquilized. Mother & cubs have been relocated to a safe location by @MAEnviroPolice & MassWildlife in nearby State Forest.
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) March 14, 2019
Thank you all for your patience in #MAtraffic while we made this happen. pic.twitter.com/W0QxsIenKQ
Authorities say the bears had to be moved to ensure their own safety as well as the safety of motorists.
>>>MORE: PHOTOS: Moving day goes 'beary well' for mama bear, cubs
Route 2 is a four-lane highway in that area and was shut down for about 45 minutes.
State police tweeted that "everything went beary well" with the move.
MA Environmental officials helped relocate a mother bear and two cubs. The mother bear weighed more than 200 pounds. pic.twitter.com/woWDNRzBia
— Robert Goulston (@rgoulston) March 14, 2019
Associated Press
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