Police officers, airport staff, local and state agencies captured and removed a Florida black bear from Tampa International Airport (TPA) campus yesterday.
A TSA (Transportation Security Administration) employee spotted a Florida black bear walking along the airport perimeter fence near Hillsborough Avenue on the afternoon of June 13 and reported it to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority.
To keep the animal contained, the airport, in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), immediately set up a trap and a robust perimeter around a dense area of vegetation at the north end of the campus.
Members of TPA operations, airport police, wildlife management, traffic, Tampa Police, Tampa Fire Rescue, and the FWC also maintained overnight surveillance of the area. Using infrared helicopter cameras, Tampa Police confirmed the bear slept inside the perimeter overnight.
The following morning, the bear entered the trap and was captured. FWC has relocated the bear to Ocala National Forest in Central Florida.
The airport has no records of any previous bear incursions on airport property, and is confident this was an isolated incident.
Images: Tampa International Airport
