#delabear takes First State by storm

ICYMI: A black bear was sighted in Newark Thursday and prompted the hashtag #delabear to take hold on social media across the state (and it’s still going).
The City of Newark tweeted some footage of the apparently on-the-go bear:

A member of our Public Works crew captured video of #delabear. The bear is no longer believed to be in #NewarkDE pic.twitter.com/Er18ohvdc2

— Newark Delaware (@CityofNewarkDE) May 19, 2016

The University of Delaware Police Department hasn’t said yet if the bear has been located, but its first announcement Thursday about the sighting gave way to later comedic posts, which in turn seemed to inspire #netDE to crack some grizzly-inspired jokes:

there was a black bear sighting near campus today and this is how UDPD decided to spread awareness 😂 #delabear pic.twitter.com/IjR1iaSHIU

— Rory Smith (@rorysmithh) May 20, 2016

One final safety tip! Use loud noises to scare off bears! #blackbearchallenge #delabear #udmarchingband pic.twitter.com/2Sr3sj1zH7

— UDel Police Dept (@udelpolice) May 20, 2016

It's been a bear-y exciting day in #NewarkDE remember to stay a safe distance from all wildlife #delabear pic.twitter.com/T26T7tUwgF

— Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company (@aetnafire) May 20, 2016

Really hoping this #delabear makes its way to Bear for double the headline fun. #editingnerd #netDE

— Sarah Goldfarb (@SarahGoldfarb) May 20, 2016

@matt_odonnell @TamEdwards6abc @davidmurphy6abc. #Delabear is no longer a problem. DelDOT put up a "Bear Left" road sign so all is well.

— Adrian Hickman (@adimike55) May 20, 2016

In the spirit of #delabear … What do you call a bear with no teeth? ….A gummy bear #FridayFunnys

— 94.7 WDSD (@947WDSD) May 20, 2016

Q: Where does the #DelaBear go for tax-free shopping?
A: The Christiana MAUL.

— Todd Chappelle (@ToddChappelle) May 20, 2016

And now it seems the #delabear itself has taken to Twitter:

Woooo I'm on the loose!

— Delabear (@thedelabear) May 20, 2016

Be safe out there!