SUNSET HILLS, Mo. – Missouri conservation agents are tracking a bear cub in west St. Louis County. It is believed to be the same one seen near Eureka, Ballwin, and Kirkwood recently.
The Missouri Department of Conservation says it has received at least 20 reports of a young bear apparently roaming neighborhoods in the area over the weekend. The most recent sighting was reported in Sunset Hills.
“It is a bear cub so please resist the urge to try to pick it up and hold it. It’s awfully cute but probably not a good idea. 🐻” write Sunset Hills police on Facebook.
“It’s hard to imagine, because if you said you saw a bear, you would not expect it to be in Sunset Hills, Missouri. And yet, here we are,” Karen Colombo said.
If you see the bear, don’t approach it. The Conservation Department says that you should back away slowly with arms raised, speak calmly, don’t turn your back, and walk away slowly. Any black bear sightings should be reported to the DOC online.
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The Kirkwood Police Department also warns residents to leave the bear alone and keep an eye on pets and children. They stress that the bear should not be cornered and must be given an escape route.
Some west St. Louis County residents did a double take when they saw the young black bear in their neighborhood this past weekend.
Several videos have been shared on social media of the bear walking through yards, including Lori Kelling, who said the bear was spotted in the White Acres Estates neighborhood. She could not believe her eyes.
“So, I had to get the video and start video recording it. But no, I just could not believe that there was a bear in Ballwin, because we’re so densely populated with people and homes,” she said. “There isn’t a large, you know, forest or a large group of trees or anything like that or a large park where there would be, you know, a lot of you know, I don’t know, trees for him to hang out in.”
Bears are typically active in Missouri during this time of year. The Missouri Department of Conservation reports increased black bear sightings in the St. Louis metro region, with the state’s bear population growing by 8% annually. This rise in population makes encounters in populated areas like St. Louis and St. Charles counties more likely.
“It was harmless. It was just walking on its own through the cul-de-sac and not harming anything; it just looked a little lost and it was so cute,” Kelling said.
During late spring and early summer, young bears search for food, while adult males travel long distances to find mates. Although bears are not typically aggressive, they require a lot of calories and are highly motivated to find food. The MDC warns against feeding bears, as this can lead to dangerous human-bear interactions and potential property damage, ultimately resulting in the bear being euthanized.
“This is very common for the late spring and early summer for mothers to push the two-year-old bears out. It’s time to get out of the house and go on their own,” Dan Zarlenga, a Missouri Department of Conservation spokesman, said. “Let it do its thing if it’s not causing any harm. Just don’t approach it. Don’t try to feed it or don’t try to harass it in any way and don’t corner it.”
Officials believe the young bear is headed to a less-populated area.
Missourians can report bear sightings and submit pictures of the animals at mdc.mo.gov/reportbears. For more information on black bears in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/bearaware.
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