Photos: Wild black bear lounges at the Alaska Zoo

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Alaska Zoo Assistant Curator Thomas “Smitty” Smith captured photos July 22, 2015 of a wild black bear lounging in a tree on zoo grounds. Employees of the Alaska Zoo noticed that a wild black bear had wandered into the zoo Wednesday morning. The bear had climbed into a tree, prompting zoo officials to keep the facility closed until around 1pm when the bear vacated the property.

An uninvited wild black bear at the Alaska Zoo caused a closure until early afternoon Wednesday, when it decided to leave on its own accord.

Zoo-goers were turned away at the main entrance while the wild bear was inside.

"Well, the bear -- we're not sure of gender -- is up in a tree in the back of the zoo by the tigers," Director of Development Jill Myer said, standing in front of bright yellow handwritten signs at the zoo's entrance that explained the closure and the fact the loose bear did not belong to the zoo.

READ MORE: Uninvited black bear temporarily closes Alaska Zoo in Anchorage