Arizona Game and Fish Department

A black bear.

Arizona Game and Fish is warning the public about a dangerous bear in Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson. The bear has been spotted multiple times, and on at least one occasion it charged a group of hikers, coming within ten feet of them. 

"We believe it is staying in that area because there are a lot of acorns there, but we are also sure on at least one occasion it has sourced human food from a hikers backpack, and may have done so on other occasions because the trail is so popular with birders. Once bears get a taste of human-sourced food they can be quite aggressive in their pursuit of it," said Mark Hart, a spokesperson with game and fish.

Hart said the trail where the bear has been sighted has been closed. He said the bear may have to be lethally removed.