The bad news, you’ve just seen a *curious* black bear looming around D.C. The good news is, if you play your cards right, they should be harmless?!
When we think about the natural habitat of bears, we generally don’t think Brookland, D.C. to be a hub of wildlife. But a black bear was spotted in Brookland on June 9, and residents were riveted. The bear took a casual stroll in the urban neighborhood and got a little too comfortable. Luckily, urban wildlife specialists were able to safely remove the bear without causing anyone harm, bear included.
And since then, there have now been a total of five bear sightings in the D.C. area! It’s not normal, but it’s becoming common, especially in June when it’s peak breeding season for bears. Young male bears will go searching for their own “fresh territory” to impress the ladies, and also escape the older male boar bears that could end them. And what do these young male bears do?
They end up in the middle of the National Mall with a crowd staring blankly at them (almost). They’re scared, we’re scared, and from a biological standpoint, the bear just wants to get away because they know D.C., as magical as it may be, is not the kind of “fresh territory” they were in search of.
According to urban wildlife specialists, these are important steps to take should Washingtonians encounter a bear:
- Don’t go closer too it…no matter how “cute” and “furry” it is.
- If it is a group of bears, specifically a group of cubs and their parent, get out of there ASAP.
- Should they be very close to you or in your yard, make yourself appear big and strong, stand tall, make loud noises and never turn your back to the bear.
- Remove bird food and garbage from the streets/yard.
- Always have pets on a leash and turn on the lights when they go out.
Up-to-date bear sightings in D.C. area:
- April 26: Kensington
- June 8: Beltsville Shopping Center
- June 9: Brookland
- June 13: Rockville
- June 19: Arlington
Stay vigilant, and make sure to contact call your local wildlife department should you sight a bear outside of its normal habitat!