A bear in my area? It's pawsible: experts share what to do
Bears have been spotted recently in suburbs of Baltimore, Frederick and Howard counties.
Most recently, a bear was spotted at Lake Elkhorn in Columbia. A resident of Columbia's Owen Brown community shared a video with 11 News, saying a black bear was in her yard for 15 minutes on Monday, and neighbors saw it swim across the lake from the woods.
A bear was also seen in Cockeysville on Friday, and there have been several other sightings.
"There's all kinds of things out here, but we're not going to live in fear. We just have to learn where we are. There's something going on that's bringing them in the area where humans are," said resident Thavi Bradford.
Jonathan Trudeau, the Black Bear Project leader for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, said the bears may be coming from Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
"This time of year, we're going to start seeing bears move around, and that's because this time of year is when bears are dispersing. So, they're getting kicked out of where they were born, and it's heading into the breeding season. So, bears are on the lookout for mating opportunities," said Trudeau.
"It's rare, but they do migrate down here," said a resident named Max. He welcomes a chance to spot the animals from afar. (I) just watch them from a distance. It's trying to find a place out here. It's just displaced, that's all. Overall, I just think everybody's trying to keep safe."
Trudeau reminded residents what to do if they spot a bear in their community.
"If you do see a bear, if you're in your car, stay in your car. Don't get close and try to take a picture. But if you're walking about -- if you see one -- just keep talking to it calmly," he said.
But if you don't feel comfortable chatting with the bear, you can try another strategy.
"Make yourself look big. Put your arms up ... walk backwards slowly," said Trudeau. "Things like making loud noises -- clapping your hands. If it's in your back yard, grabbing a pot and a metal spoon, making loud noises, that type of condition can scare a bear enough to get out of the area."
The DNR said do not feed them, do not leave out trash and take your bird feeders in if a bear wanders onto your property.
