VANDERBURGH COUNTY, Ind. — A black bear was spotted in southern Indiana over the weekend.
The bear was seen just before sunrise Sunday in northeast Vanderburgh County, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Biologists confirmed the bear from photos taken by the landowner.
This is Indiana’s fourth confirmed black bear, according to DNR mammologist Brad Westrich. With bear populations growing in neighboring states, bear sightings in Indiana are expected.
“Human-bear conflicts can be avoided if you remove or secure potential food sources from your yard. Bears can smell food from more than a mile away,” said Westrich.
If you see a black bear:
- Do not feed it.
- Observe it from a distance.
- Do not climb a tree.
- Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms and backing slowly away.
- Report bear sightings to the Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife
Most problems that occur with bears arise when bears associate food sources with humans and lose their fear of people.
