Black Bear Spotted in Colesville Area

A black bear was seen in the Colesville area of Montgomery County on Monday, Montgomery Parks said in a statement. 

Black bears are rare in our county, according to the Parks website. Sightings mostly occur in June and July when young, male bears are traveling to find their own homes. They usually don’t stay, and find homes in western Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. 

If you see a black bear, do not panic, Montgomery Parks says. Back away slowly and keep dogs leashed while taking them with you. Do not go closer to the bear and make sure it has room to leave. If it climbs a tree, leave and the bear will go when it comes down. Finally, Montgomery Parks says residents can report bear emergencies to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources at 410-260-8888. 

A black bear was spotted Monday night in northern Montgomery County. Black bear sightings in the area from May to July are not uncommon.

During this time, young black bears roam to look for their own territory and to find food.

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— Montgomery Parks (@MontgomeryParks) May 19, 2020

About Maryam Shahzad

Maryam is a reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Previously, she was an intern with MCM. She can be reached at mshahzad@mymcmedia.org or on Twitter @maryam_mcm.

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