WORCESTER, Mass. — A bear who spent some time in Worcester now appears to be on the move across the state.

In late April, state and local police rescued a bear from McKeon Road. The bear was sedated and released at a more accommodating location.

During the process, MassWildlife gave the bear an ear tag and since, it's moved roughly 35 miles east and has now been spotted in Lincoln and Concord.

Dave Wattles, with MassWildlife, said this time of year, young males are very active.

"The reason it was in downtown Worcester is probably the same reason that it’s not moved that far east," Wattles said. "It’s a young male and this time of year, young males in particular are either dispersing from their natal range or they are starting to move widely because it’s the mating season for bears. During the mating season, bears will move huge distances." 

Wattles said they're not actively tracking the bear, but he can confirm it's the same one from Worcester based on the tag number. MassWildlife said more than 4,500 bears live in Massachusetts.