Bear sighting in Stansbury Park sparks humor and discussion on social media

STANSBURY PARK, Utah (ABC4) — On May 30, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) said that they were searching for a black bear caught on a bird feeder camera in Stansbury Park. According to DWR, a bear in Tooele County is an “extremely rare occurrence.”

Since that sighting, the “Stansbury Park bear” has gained some popularity on social media. Reactions have ranged from disbelief to requests that the bear be left alone, and even one commenter who said they’d like to name the bear “Squishy.”

A Facebook video shared by the North Tooele Fire District

last night joined in on the joke. It has garnered several hundred reactions on Facebook. The caption reads, “We THOUGHT we’d found the infamous Stansbury Park bear.”

In the video, a firefighter tells the camera that they think they spotted the “alleged bear.” Several firefighters gather around a statue of a bear, hoping to capture it, before they’re stopped.

“Guys, stop! Everything’s okay, this is Smokey the Bear,” another firefighter says.

“My bad, pack it up,” a firefighter responds. They all turn around and walk away from the statue, and the video ends.

One comment in response to the video read, “This is a dangerous situation. I think you’re trying to make it a joke. I found donut crumbs on my picnic table… that’s [too] close for comfort.”

A local Tooele County towing company, Desert Edge Towing LLC, posted an AI photo of a bear in one of their tow-trucks, saying, “Don’t worry guys, we got the bear! We’re taking him back home.”

DWR’s search for the bear

In an interview with ABC4 on Friday, Michael Packer, the conservation outreach manager with DWR, spoke about the black bear sighting in Stansbury Park. He said the bear was first spotted on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

“The best way to avoid is just to give these animals space. We co-occupy a wonderful state. We have a lot of cool wildlife, as we grow, we kind of make our way into their backyard,” Packer said.

Packer said that biologists had placed a safe live-catch trap in hopes of capturing the bear. The trap does not harm the bear, but it would help DWR safely remove it from the area. On Friday, he said they were putting out a trap one more time before wrapping up in the area unless they heard another bear report.

“We’re coming into bear season, where there’s a lot of recreation happening on the landscape, these bears have been coming out of like a hibernation state… they’re out and they’re actively feeding,” Packer explained. “Chances are higher now of encountering these bears.”

Although you might be more likely to spot a bear now that winter is over, Packer said that the odds are still low, and it’s not an increasing occurrence. According to DWR, the most recent estimate was 4,000 minimum adult bears in 2021, and estimates indicate a decline in this population in recent years.

DWR offers the following instructions for someone who might encounter a bear:

• Stand your ground: Never back up, lie down, or play dead. Stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Prepare to use your bear spray or another deterrent.
• Don’t run away or climb a tree. Black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 mph — you cannot outclimb or outrun them.
• Know bear behavior. If a bear stands up, grunts, moans or makes other sounds, it’s not being aggressive. These are the ways a bear gets a better look or smell and expresses its interest.
• If a black bear attacks, always fight back. And never give up! People have successfully defended themselves with almost anything: rocks, sticks, backpacks, water bottles and even their hands and feet.

On Monday, Packer provided an update on the search for the bear. It has not been caught, and biologists have removed the trap from the area.

“This young bear was likely on a walk-about from the Wasatch Range and wandered into this area,” Packer said in an email to ABC4. He said that a bear in Tooele County is an “extremely rare occurrence,” and DWR doesn’t have a record of black bears in the county, and there’s only one historical record from early settlers in Tooele County.

Packer said that if you see a bear, report it to DWR during business hours (M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) or contact your local police department outside of business hours so they can alert DWR.

Nick Butts contributed to this report.