Name: Increased bear sightings in Montgomery County point to potential permanent habitat
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Increased bear sightings in Montgomery County point to potential permanent habitat

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Last week, Montgomery Parks posted a photo of a recent bear sighting, captured on a Ring doorbell camera walking through a front yard in Germantown. It came with a warning: bear season. In the past week, at least three bear sightings have been reported in the county -- in the Sligo Creek area of Silver Spring, another near the Northwest Golf course off of Layhill Road, and in Boyds.The sightings are becoming more frequent. Some Maryland wildlife professionals predict that Montgomery County will be the next county to be home to a permanent, breeding population of black bears. Between May and July, solitary bears, most often young males, are striking out on their own and traveling considerable distances in search of suitable homes. The vast majority of these young bears are transient, and they find their way to more desirable, bear habitats from western Maryland, Pennsylvania, and rural parts of West Virginia and Virginia. READ | 'They just kind of stumble into the suburbs': Bear sightings continue in Md. neighborhoods“We’ve been seeing more bears coming down from Western Maryland into the county. So these are 18-month-old bears, they are normally the male teenage bears that are coming down. They got booted out by mom, and they are coming down looking for habitat, looking for a place to set up shop,” said ﻿Noelia Schmidt, Natural Resources Specialist with the Montgomery County Parks Department. A bear sighting can be exciting for some, and alarming for others. The reality is these animals are rarely confrontational, but it is suggested that no one should take a chance. As more, young, solitary bears visit Montgomery County in search of suitable habitat; it is likely that some will begin to find select areas favorable, resulting in the animals staying in the county indefinitely. The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) is the largest land mammal native to the State of Maryland -- once nearly extirpated from the State, due to forest habitat degradation and indiscriminate killing. Black bears have made a strong comeback largely due to conservation efforts and forested habitat improvements. They are usually black but can be found in a variety of color phases including brown, cinnamon and even blonde. Adult bears typically weigh between 125 and 400 pounds but can weigh in at over 600 pounds. They stand at about 3 feet high to the shoulder and are approximately 75 inches long from nose to tail while standing on all fours. They have relatively long, rounded ears and small, dark eyes, and can climb trees proficiently with the use of their claws. Black bears have a keen sense of smell, but their eyesight is somewhat average (about the same as humans). As a result, bears are sometimes observed standing upright on their hind feet to gain a further olfactory advantage and to improve their eyesight capability.“Try to be responsible on our behalf and try to minimize conflict. Try to minimize negative interactions. These bears that are coming down, they are just looking for a place, they are going to move on very quickly,” said Schmidt. These wild animals are omnivores which means they eat a wide variety of foods including plants, roots, nuts, berries, other fruits, insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fish, trash, birdseed and carrion. Bears tend to be opportunistic feeders and will follow their nose to any easily accessible food source. This tendency, combined with proximity to agricultural or suburban areas and humans, can lead to nuisance behavior as bears rummage through trash cans and compost piles, knock over bird feeders, destroy bee hives and pillage crops. They typically breed beginning in late May through June and into July. One female (sow) will give birth to a litter of 1 to 5 cubs (most commonly, 2) during the winter months while most of her time is spent in a winter den. Sows will typically produce one litter every other year.READ | Necessities of life come to Arlington: black bear spotted near school construction siteBlack bears that become too comfortable around humans can quickly become pests as they exploit potential food sources like pet food bowls left outside, bird feeders, compost piles, trash cans, beehives, vegetable gardens, fruit trees and agricultural crops. If bears become comfortable around humans and habituated to easily accessible, desirable food sources, they can become a very real threat to public safety. To safely and responsibly live with our new neighbors we are going to have to adapt to their presence and adjust our habits accordingly.Here are some tips to prepare for and/or avoid negative interactions with black bears:Report Black Bear sightings in Montgomery County to the MD Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife &amp; Heritage Service at  301-258-7308 or Natural Resources Police at 410-260-8888.

Last week, Montgomery Parks posted a photo of a recent bear sighting, captured on a Ring doorbell camera walking through a front yard in Germantown. It came with a warning: bear season. In the past week, at least three bear sightings have been reported in the county -- in the Sligo Creek area of Silver Spring, another near the Northwest Golf course off of Layhill Road, and in Boyds.The sightings are becoming more frequent. Some Maryland wildlife professionals predict that Montgomery County will be the next county to be home to a permanent, breeding population of black bears. Between May and...

Increased bear sightings in Montgomery County point to potential permanent habitat

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