PIERCE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A black bear was spotted wandering through the woods near Preswick Place, off Merwin-Ten Mile Road, prompting a caution from local police.
The Pierce Township Police Department said in a Facebook post that residents in the neighborhood had seen the bear roaming the wooded area behind their homes. A photo of the animal was taken at the end of Kipling Crossing, and a paw print consistent with a bear was found nearby.
Police urged residents to use caution if they encounter the animal and pointed to safety guidance from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Black bears were wiped out in Ohio by the mid-1800s because of unregulated hunting and habitat loss, according to ODNR. In recent decades the species has slowly returned to the state as young bears disperse from established populations in neighboring Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Ohio’s black bear population is now estimated at 50 to 100 individual bears, and the animals remain listed as a state endangered species, ODNR said.
Most sightings in Ohio involve young male bears traveling long distances in search of new territory, according to the agency. Adult black bears in Ohio typically weigh between 125 and 250 pounds, can run up to 35 mph and are skilled climbers and swimmers.
ODNR says black bears are generally fearful of people and prefer to flee rather than confront humans. The agency recommends residents remain calm if they encounter a bear, avoid direct eye contact and back away slowly rather than running or climbing a tree, which can provoke a chase. If a bear does not leave the area, ODNR advises raising your arms to appear larger and clapping or shouting to scare it off. The agency also recommends removing bird feeders, securing garbage and grills, and keeping pet food indoors to avoid attracting bears to a property.
Residents who see a bear are encouraged to report the sighting through ODNR’s Wildlife Species Sighting Report or by contacting their county wildlife officer.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pierce Township Police Department and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.