A mid-Michigan police department urged residents to be cautious this week after a black bear was seen wandering through a local park.
The Chesaning Police Department, located in southwest Saginaw County, shared an image from the village’s Showboat Park of a small black bear walking on all fours at night.
“Wild life is cute…. from a distance,” the police department post on Facebook on May 26 said. “Last night a bear cub was spotted in Showboat Park and we would like to remind everyone NOT to approach or feed a bear, especially a bear cub.”
A larger version of the image initially was shared in the Chesaning Happenings Facebook group the night of May 25 by Colleen Tennant, who said her children had sent her the photo of the bear at the park.
Black bears in Michigan have been increasing in numbers in recent years. The Department of Natural Resources estimates more than 10,000 live in the Upper Peninsula and more than 2,000 in the Lower Peninsula.
Earlier in May, a black bear was spotted in southeast Michigan in Wayne and Monroe counties. Bears have become a common sight across northern Michigan, including in Traverse City, and have been sighted in other southern Lower Peninsula communities as well.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Bear seen wandering through mid-Michigan park as police urge caution
Reporting by Dan Basso, USA TODAY NETWORK / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
