LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — A black bear sighting at Magic Kingdom on Monday caused Disney World to temporarily shut down several rides and attractions at the park.
What You Need To Know
- Black bear was spotted in Magic Kingdom on Monday
- FWC captured the female bear and said it plans to relocate it to Ocala National Forest
- Disney World temporarily shut down sections of the park as officials worked to capture the bear
An adult female bear was spotted in a tree on the western side of the park, and it was likely looking for food, according to officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Biologists with the agency’s Bear Management Program and other FWC officials were on site and working with Disney park officials on the situation. By Monday afternoon, FWC said it had safely captured the bear.
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has confirmed that biologists with its Bear Management Program are on the scene after reports of a black bear in a tree at Magic Kingdom. https://t.co/zKBLmoRCS2
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 18, 2023
“In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own, but given this situation, staff have captured the animal and are relocating the bear out of the park to an area in or around the Ocala National Forest,” FWC said in a statement.
Prior to the bear’s capture, Disney World closed some sections of Magic Kingdom, including Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland. The attractions in those areas of the park — including Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad — were listed as “temporarily closed” on the My Disney Experience mobile app.
Around 12:30 p.m., Disney began reopening those sections of the park to visitors.
Bears are more active in the fall as they search for food ahead of winter, according to FWC. Black bears are the only species of bear in Florida. The state is home to an estimated 4,000 black bears.