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A young black bear was captured Tuesday near the northern end of the Boulevard Bridge in Richmond.

The wild bear had a broken left front leg, which indicates that it likely was hit by a vehicle, said Aaron Proctor, district biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Proctor and officers from the Virginia Conservation Police tranquilized the bear in a ravine in a wooded area adjacent to the bridge, which is commonly called the Nickel Bridge. The area is a few hundred feet from Maymont’s bear habitat, where two black bears are kept in captivity.

Proctor said the size of the bear indicates that it was likely born last winter.

“It’s kind of rare that we find one this small by itself,” he said, adding that most of the bears reported in urban areas in Virginia usually are 2 to 3 years old and weigh about 150 pounds.

The James River provides a convenient entry to Richmond and the surrounding area for bears and other animals, Proctor said.

“They follow the waterways into the city,” Proctor said. “That’s how they get in undetected.”