NJ Bear OK After Live National TV Rescue

A New Jersey black bear who became a national TV star for several hours on Friday is back in the wild after he was stuck in a tree by the New Jersey turnpike and rescued by firefighters.

Slideshow: Bear Stuck In Tree On Turnpike

DEP spokesman Lawrence Hajna said the bear wasn't injured and was released into an undisclosed wildlife area on Friday afternoon.

The juvenile bear was up as high as 20 feet in the tree as animal rescue workers pondered what to do. The tree was also about 20 feet away from the turnpike.

The bear drama unfolded in front on a national audience, as Fox News did live video updates on TV and issued an alert when the bear was rescued.

The rescuers climbed up the tree in a cherry picker, tranquilized the bear and then used four men to lug the sleeping bear out of the tree.

The bear was then lowered to the ground as rescuers fist pumped each other.

The bruin was still asleep as people petted him and he was taken away on a rescue vehicle.