CORYDON, Ind. -- The Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed multiple reports over the weekend of a black bear spotted in southern Indiana.
The bear was first reported around 9 p.m. Sunday in Harrison County. A caller told conservation officers the bear had been going through their garbage.
The bear was then spotted Monday morning by several people, including conservation officers, near Corydon, Indiana.
Conservation officers said young black bears are known to wander in the springtime as they seek new territory. This bear likely swam across the Ohio River from Kentucky.
“We’ve anticipated this possibility and our staff has been preparing,” said Linnea Petercheff, staff operations specialist with the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife.
The bear is the second spotted in Indiana over the last year.
In 2015, conservation officers confirmed sightings of a black bear in northern Indiana – the first to be seen in the state in more than 140 years.
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That bear was eventually trapped in Stevensville, Michigan, and euthanized after it was determined it had become a threat to public safety.
DNR officials said black bears are shy in nature and tend to avoid human contact. The best way to avoid attracting a bear to your home is to avoid leaving food, including pet food, outside overnight.
Indiana DNR encourages citizens to report bear sightings to dfwinput@dnr.IN.gov or by calling (812) 334-1137.
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