The bears are out and roaming in Ohio.
A black bear, the first in 20 years for Licking County, was spotted in a field near Pataskala on June 10, the Newark Advocate reports. The latest sighting is out of Richland County, south of Mansfield. This one, however, has a more tragic outcome, the Mansfield News Journal reports.
Black bears were considered gone from Ohio by the 1850s, per ODNR, due to deforestation and hunting by Ohio settlers. However, they have been spotted wandering through the state as populations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia grow, according to the Ohio Black Bear Monitoring Report from November 2023. And they are making a small comeback, with an estimated in-state population between 50 and 100.
This was the fifth confirmed black bear sighting in Richland County since 1993, per ODNR. Here’s what you need to know about black bears in Ohio.
Pickup truck strikes black bear in Richland County
In Richland County, a male black bear was struck by a pickup truck on June 14 and died.
According to a Facebook post from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and wildlife officers responded to the scene, where wildlife experts determined the bear had to be euthanized at the scene because of the injuries it sustained.
According to the News Journal, troopers responded to a one-vehicle, non-injury crash on Ohio 546 near Black Road, roughly 14 miles south of Mansfield around 7 a.m. on June 14.
Dawson Staley, 18, of Fredericktown, was operating a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup truck north on Ohio 546 when a bear entered the roadway from the west and Staley struck it. Staley was not injured in the crash.
First black bear in 20 years spotted near Pataskala in Licking County
On June 10, the first black bear in more than 20 years was spotted in Licking County, the ODNR confirmed in a recent Facebook post.
“It’s most likely a young male wandering long distances looking for females,” ODNR wrote.
The black bear was spotted in a field near Pataskala, about 20 miles east of Columbus, on June 10, WBNS TV-10 reports. The last bear sighting in Licking County was in 2003. It’s the sixth bear sighting in the county since 1993.
Black bears in Ohio
Black bears are now rare in Ohio and considered an endangered species. But they inhabited the state before settlers came and drove them off, per ODNR. Their name can be misleading, because “black” bears can be black, chocolate brown, cinnamon brown, blue-black, and even white.
An adult can weigh anywhere between 150 and 700 pounds. Males average 300 pounds while females are smaller, averaging around 175. Males, when standing upright, measure between five and six feet tall. And again, females are smaller, measuring four to five feet.
Adult males have a home range of 100 to 120 square miles in upland hardwood habitats, while females’ home range can cover 24 to 50 square miles. Movements of 125 miles from a denning site have been documented.
Bears are omnivores and will eat a variety of foods; grasses, berries, carrion and insects are typical foods. Bears will also raid crops, if available.
How to protect your house, backyard from black bears
Black bears can cause significant damage while in search of an easy meal. Here’s how you can protect your backyard if one is in your area, per ODNR:
What to do if you see a black bear
Black bear attacks are rare; they are usually fearful of people. As long as they are given space and not cornered, bears do not attack or kill children or pets. The bears are generally not aggressive and prefer to flee if they are aware of your presence.
So, if you see a black bear, remain calm. If it hasn’t noticed you, back away slowly and leave the area. If it is aware of you, avoid direct eye contact and give it an easy escape route. Don’t run away or climb a tree, which may provoke a chase.
ODNR recommends remembering this using the acronym AWARE:
Black bear sightings in Ohio
Ohio reported 285 black bear sightings in 52 counties in 2022, 161 of which were confirmed based on the presence of evidence such as photos or tracks, per ODNR. Sightings occur throughout the year but are most common in late May through early July.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Another black bear spotted in Ohio. Here’s where, what happened, how to stay safe
Reporting by Chad Murphy, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
