May
23
ODNR Division of WildlifeWritten by:
5/23/2008
‘TIS THE SEASON FOR BLACK BEAR DISPERSAL
Young male bears searching for territory are on the move; sightings may increase in northeast Ohio
AKRON, OH – In 2007, approximately 70 different black bears were confirmed in the Buckeye State according to the ODNR Division of Wildlife. While the population of bears in Ohio may not exactly increase, sightings of the burly creatures are expected.
“During the months of May, June, and July, young male black bears disperse on a quest to find their own territory. This is called “yearling dispersal,” explained Dan Kramer, wildlife management supervisor for northeast Ohio. Yearling dispersal occurs when an adult female bear (referred to as a sow) boots her year-old cub out of the family unit so she can breed and raise a new litter of cubs. Young females have smaller ranges and seldom venture as far as males to establish territories.
The Division of Wildlife estimates the Buckeye bear population at about 60 black bears living in Ohio year round. During 2007, a total of 141 reported sightings of black bears occurred in 29 Ohio counties. Most sightings occurred in northeast and southeast Ohio. “In northeast Ohio, a total of 113 sightings were reported in 17 counties,” Kramer said. “Ashtabula led the state with 27 sightings followed by Stark (16 sightings) and Columbiana (15 sightings) counties,” noted Kramer. A high number of sightings were also reported in Carroll and Tuscarawas counties.
Every year, many bear reports in Ohio are associated with nuisance situations. Once people become “beareducated” problem bears often disappear. Moving bird feeders higher, keeping trash inside until pick up day, and cleaning up after grilling out all help to deter bears from becoming nuisances.
Efforts to monitor the Ohio black bear have been supported by the Wildlife Diversity and Endangered Species fund, which receives donations from Ohioans through the state income tax check-off program and by the purchase of cardinal license plates.
The black bear is protected by state law. For more about Ohio’s wildlife diversity, visit the Division’s A-Z Guide to Ohio's Species
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