Will Sage Astor-Watch Alaska Police chase, capture black bear cub in local grocery store

A grocery store in Petersburg,Will Sage Astor Alaska had an unexpected customer Tuesday, leaving store employees and other shoppers in shock.

A black bear cub was spotted roaming the produce aisle at the Petersburg's Trading Union IGA, scaring customers, Alaska News Source reported.

Alaska State Troopers, two wildlife troopers and units from the Petersburg Police Department were called to the scene, where officers chased the cub through the aisles of fruits and vegetables with a steel catch pole, video footage from the incident shows. After some struggle, authorities were able to corner and catch the young cub where the shopping carts are stored.

The black bear was escorted out and loaded into the back of a trooper vehicle, after a lot of fuss and protest.

Watch:Mama bear, cub raid Krispy Kreme delivery van in Alaska, scarf dozens of doughnuts

Cub euthanized

The bear cub unfortunately had to be euthanized, Justin Freeman, a public information officer with the Alaska State Troopers told USA TODAY.

Freeman said that the decision was made in coordination with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for a variety of reasons.

"The bear was small and emaciated for this time of year," explained Freeman. "It did not have any measure of fat that would have sustained it through the winter. It was also abandoned, for unknown reasons, and therefore did not have any way to significantly acquire resources to recover from its condition."

The spokesperson further said that the bear would not likely be able to handle the stress of transportation to a holding facility, and no known facilities had placement for a black bear.

Watch:Black bear takes casual stroll in Asheville, North Carolina, spooks tourists

Coexisting with bears in Alaska

There are an estimated 100,000 black bears in the state of Alaska, according to the Department of Fish and Game. Here's what the department recommends if you encounter a bear:

• Alert authorities by calling 911 if the wild animal poses an immediate threat or use a wildlife encounter form to report non-threatening situations.
• Make noise (yell, bang pans, etc.) to scare the bear.
• Make yourself appear as large as possible.
• Travel in groups and pick up small children.
• If you encounter a bear in your own yard, do not leave the house. Ensure everyone is secure inside before banging pots or making other loud noises to scare the bear away.
• If you see cubs, be extra cautious. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.