A black bear evaded capture from police and animal control officers for more than an hour, running loose through the streets of Los Angeles and climbing trees and fences.

The bear, which is thought to be about two-years-old and weighs 125-pounds, was first spotted at around 8pm on 25 April by students at Los Angeles Mission College, who saw it from their rooms and were subsequently told to stay indoors.

Residents in the Sylmar neighbourhood were also on lockdown, as the fire brigade joined other authorities in the bear chase. As the animal ran along side streets and evaded capture the escapades were filmed by a local media helicopter.

Footage shows the male bear flee from animal control, scale the fence of a resident's backyard and run off in the opposite direction from the authorities, who kept a sensible distance while tracking the animal for more than an hour.

It was finally tranquilised in the front garden of one of the Sylmar neighbourhood homes, and will be returned to the Angeles National Forest, which is close to the neighbourhood where it was found, according to authorities.

Black bears, along with mountain lions and bobcats can be spotted by visitors to the Angeles National Park, although bear sightings are quite rare and the animals there are far less likely to wander into populated areas.

In January 2015, a police officer was accidentally dropped into a bear's lair by helicopter when they were called out to inspect an abandoned car in the national forest – and found it had been inhabited by a mother bear and her cubs. Fortunately, the officer was able to leave the area before the mother bear returned.

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