BELLEVILLE — A black bear has been sighted roaming in St. Clair County, according to the Illinois Conservation Police. The bear was first spotted off Illinois Route 157 in the former Centreville area and later near the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville. The bear, believed to be a male, had initially been reported near Columbia, Illinois, the day before. "There have been quite a few sightings as the bear moves up through Illinois," said Don Schachner, a conservation police officer with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. "It started in Columbia on Monday, and we got a couple of reports near Valmeyer, Illinois, which is a more rural area." An earlier report came from Croatia Drive in Columbia, where the bear climbed a tree, causing a five-hour ordeal as crowds gathered and authorities worked to disperse them. "When a bear climbs a tree like that, it's usually because something panicked them," Schachner explained. "It's a defense mechanism; they wait
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