A black bear was seen in the City of Wooster this weekend.
There are no plans to capture or relocate the bear, according to a post on the Wooster Police Department’s Facebook page.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources was contacted, and wildlife officers said it most likely will move out of the area on its own, according the Facebook post Saturday.
If there is a concern about the bear, residents are advised to call 911 if it is an emergency or 330-287-5702 for a nonemergency.
Black bears are a protected species in Ohio.
The ODNR said it’s likely the bear is a young male, wandering west from Pennsylvania, looking for female. July is the typical black bear mating season.
Tips to protect property, deter a visiting black bear
The Police Department’s post offered tips from the ODNR to safeguard back yards. They include:
Black bear spotting should be reported to the Ohio Division of Wildlife at wildohio.gov.
Reporting sightings on the wildlife reporting webpage helps biologists track and monitor Ohio’s growing black bear population.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Black bear seen in Wooster this weekend – what to do if you see one
Reporting by Wooster Daily Record/USA TODAY NETWORK / The Daily Record
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