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Ohio’s ‘Wandering Bears’ Signal a Possible Comeback for the Species – WTOP News
Wildlife managers say Ohio’s black bear population is growing, with more cubs and young males showing up near homes and roads.
- The Ohio Division of Wildlife's 2026 Ohio Black Bear Monitoring Report confirmed a sharp rise in sightings, reaching a record 537 reports across 69 counties in 2025, up from 370 in 2024.
- After being declared extirpated in the mid-1800s and reclassified as endangered in 1995, bears have naturally expanded from growing populations in West Virginia and Pennsylvania into Ohio.
- In Coshocton County, residents Brandan Smith and Erica Gray reported encounters in recent months, with the county recording 11 confirmed sightings in 2025 alone.
- University of Dayton researcher Mariela Gantchoff found most Ohio bears are transient males, though reproducing female bears have been confirmed in Ashtabula County since 2016.
- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends reporting sightings via the Wildlife Reporting System, cautioning that bears can weigh up to 400 pounds and pose serious injury risks.
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13 Articles
13 Articles
The Toronto Star+11 Reposted by 11 other sources
Ohio’s ‘wandering bears’ signal a possible comeback for the species
On a warm night in mid July, Brandan Smith heard a sound outside his house in rural Coshocton. Curious, he opened his door and walked outside. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he saw a large, hulking figure in…
·Toronto, Canada
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Ohio’s ‘wandering bears’ signal a possible comeback for the species – WTOP News
On a warm night in mid July, Brandan Smith heard a sound outside his house in rural Coshocton. Curious, he opened his door and walked outside. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he saw a large, hulking figure in his driveway, rummaging in the bins and boxes he’d readied for trash pickup the next...
·Chevy Chase, United States
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Total News Sources13
Leaning Left6Leaning Right1Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Left, 46% Center
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources lean Left, 46% of the sources are Center
46% Center
L 46%
C 46%
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