Wandering bear killed on I-77

stayed away from people, she said.

Wadsworth resident and wildlife photographer Ron Schaefer, who took pictures of the bear Sunday as it ate from bird feeders in a neighbor’s back yard, said he and others were saddened by the animal’s death.

“It’s unique to have something like that here,” Schaefer said. “Everybody around here thought it was pretty neat. We were lucky we got pictures of him. ... He wasn’t dangerous. He got his fill at that bird feeder and went on his way. ... Sad ending.”

Based on an ear tag, the bear originated in Pennsylvania. That tag helped the Division of Wildlife track the animal, Emmert said. The bear also wandered into Medina and Wayne counties, she said.

Because of the dense human population in the greater Akron area, “it’s uncomfortable for a bear to live here,” she said.

This particular bear was the only one that the Division of Wildlife knows of in the greater Akron area, Emmert said.