Bears are back in Ashtabula County

Black bears have been spotted recently in Pierpont, Sheffield and Plymouth townships, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Laurie Graber, wildlife research technician for northeast Ohio, said black bear sightings in springtime in northeast Ohio are not uncommon anymore, especially sightings of young males looking to establish territories during warmer months.

“We’ve had sightings of individual bears,” she said. “They are starting to get up and move around.”

In the past two years, a black bear sow and her two cubs have been spotted and caught on camera in Ashtabula County, near the Pennsylvania state line.

A Plymouth resident reported seeing three bears this week but did not get a photo or video of the trio.

Nevertheless, Graber said it’s exciting to know the bears are spending time in the Buckeye State.

Last year, a black bear showed up on the porch of a Conneaut resident, causing police to warn residents to take in bird feeders and trash cans and keep cooking grills free of grease.

Ohio has between 50 and 100 individual bears, according to ODNR. Ohio bears are generally smaller than their brethren elsewhere, weighing between 125 and 250 pounds. The majority are juvenile males that can cover a large territory in search of food.

Black bears usually fear people, so attacks are a rare occurrence as long as the bear is given space and is not cornered, according to ODNR.

If someone encounters a bear, the first thing to do is to remain calm. Generally, black bears are non-aggressive and prefer to flee from the area as soon as they are aware of a human presence, according to ODNR. If a bear is not aware of a human presence, the person can simply back away from the area slowly.

If the bear is aware and does not leave the area, avoid direct eye contact with the animal, give the bear an easy escape route and back slowly away from the area. Always avoid running or climbing trees, which may provoke a chase.