A black bear has now been spotted in Garfield Heights, just one day after police warned residents about a bear roaming nearby Pepper Pike. The back-to-back sightings have surprised many residents, but wildlife experts say wandering black bears become more common during the summer as young males search for new territory.
According to a Garfield Heights resident, a home security camera captured the bear walking across the front yard around 2:30 a.m. The homeowner said the camera’s motion alert first identified the animal as a person. When she reviewed the footage, she discovered it was actually a black bear. She believes a nearby light startled the animal before it entered her backyard.
The sighting came less than 24 hours after Pepper Pike Police shared Ring camera footage showing another black bear walking along Lawton Lane. Officers reminded residents that black bears are native to Ohio and usually avoid people when left alone. Wildlife officials say sightings have increased across the state during the past several years as Ohio’s bear population continues to expand into more counties…