NORTH CANTON: Police are advising residents to bear-proof their yards after officers Saturday morning witnessed a 200-pound black bear roaming a residential neighborhood.
Residents in the 100 block of Far View Drive SW called police about 12:45 a.m. Saturday after seeing a bear munching on birdseed from a backyard feeder. The night before, other residents called police after seeing a bear near Arrowhead Golf Course. It’s unclear if it was the same bear both nights.
Police called in wildlife officers from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to monitor the movement of the bear seen Saturday. So far, no bear has been aggressive.
“The plan is to force the bear, on its own behavior, east and out of the county to a more favorable habitat,” police said in a statement Saturday.
Bears live in Ohio year-round and are usually most active in the early morning and late evening, although that can change depending on human activity around them, state officials said.
Black bears are omnivores, officials said. They’ll eat everything from fruits and grasses to meat and insects.
Authorities provided these tips to keep bears out of your yard:
• Get rid of all food sources, including bird feeders, trash bins, pet food and grease from grills.
• Install electric fencing around any beehives.
• Pick and clean up any fruit or berries from shrubs and trees as soon as possible.
Most black bears are afraid of humans, so attacks are rare, authorities said.
If you encounter a bear and it doesn’t see you, back away slowly.
If a bear sees you and doesn’t run, avoid direct eye contact with the animal, allow the bear an easy escape route and back away.
Finally, state wildlife officials advise people who run across a bear to resist the temptation to run or climb a tree. That may provoke a bear to give chase.
Amanda Garrett can be reached at 330-996-3725 or agarrett@thebeaconjournal.com.