Another bear sighting has been posted on social media — this time in the Charleston area in Hopkins County.
Pam Ahlert posted photos of the bear saying it was spotted in the Dunn Church area Wednesday. Charleston is located just north of Dawson Springs across Interstate 69.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials confirmed a bear has been tracked traveling through Henderson County into Webster County and then made its way into Caldwell County last week where it was spotted near 250 Sugar Creek Church Road near the Farmersville area.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials told the News Edge last week a bear can travel around 30 miles a day and will more than likely head back home in the coming weeks.
According to officials, it’s not unusual in the early summer for young male bears to wander well outside of their established bear range in eastern Kentucky. They said these bears get pushed out of the area by older, dominant males, and may wander up to several weeks or more into unfamiliar territory in search of good habitat and prospective mates before they return to the mountains where they were raised.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials also said black bears have a natural fear of people and try to avoid encounters but the public is advised to never approach or feed a bear, which can result in a negative encounter. If you do encounter a bear, officials urge you to keep a safe distance and never approach the bear. In addition, officials said residents of an area where a bear has been spotted should secure their garbage in a garage or other building, not leave pet food or bird feed outside and clean and store barbecue grills.
When it comes to large livestock being around the bear, officials said there have been no reports of these bears attacking or harming them in any way.
For more information about black bears, click here.
