ODNR officials said there has been a steady rise in black bear reports over the decades.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A black bear was spotted in Licking County for the second time this year.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the bear was spotted in the county over the weekend. It’s unclear where in Licking County it was seen.

Earlier this month, a black bear was caught on camera roaming a field east of Pataskala. The sighting on June 10 marked the first confirmed sighting in Licking County in more than 20 years.

Black bears are considered endangered in Ohio, and sightings in Licking County remain rare — the last sighting was in 2003. Before that, there were only five others spotted in the county since 1994.

A black bear was also spotted in Delaware and Morrow counties a few days later.

On June 16, a bear was killed after it was struck by a pickup truck in Richland County. It was unclear if it was the same bear that was spotted in central Ohio.

ODNR officials said there has been a steady rise in black bear reports over the decades. This is because bears from healthy populations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia wander into eastern Ohio.

“Most of these are young male bears wandering in search of territory, with only a few female bears taking up residence in Ohio. The increase this year may just be a continuation of a long-term trend, with bears pushing further into Ohio. Spring/summer is the time when ODNR Division of Wildlife receives the most black bear reports, as this is when male bears are active and wander in search of a female to breed with,” a spokesperson with ODNR said.

The department also states that many of the bears that are spotted in Ohio are young males dispersing, which means that they are wandering long distances looking for females. They added that since there are few resident females in the state, they tend to move on quickly.

Black bears are more commonly found in the forested regions of eastern Ohio. There were 161 sightings reported in 2022.

What to do if you see a black bear near your home

ODNR suggests that you take the following steps to bear-proof your backyard if you see one in your area:

  • Keep your trash in a garage or secured container
  • Remove bird feeders temporarily
  • Keep pet food inside
  • Clean grease from outdoor grills
  • Pick any fruit growing in your yard

Bear or other wildlife sightings can be reported to ODNR using this link. More information on black bears in Ohio can also be found at Wildohio.gov or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.