Officials said the bear has covered at least 100 miles in the past few weeks. It first crossed the Kentucky-Ohio border into Adams County and then made his way into Brown County. A short time later, the bear was seen in Clinton County.
On Wednesday, there were reports that the bear was seen in Franklin in Warren County, not far from Montgomery County.
The bear has been trying to find a place to call home, but it has tried without success. On Saturday, the bear made its way into the back yard of Denise Braun in Springboro.
She said, “He’s not doing anything. He’s sitting there.”
Now, witnesses said they saw the bear again taking a dip in the Great Miami River between Franklin and Miamisburg.
Wildlife Management Supervisor David Kohler said, “One individual saw the bear swim across the river. That would be from the west to the east. And then, a couple of other individuals saw the bear along the road.”
Wildlife officials said the latest sightings are good news for the bear.
Kohler said, “The fact that it moved on to even Miamisburg is good because that would indicate it has not locked in on any sources of food.”
They hope the bear keeps moving because officials said all of the things a black bear needs to thrive won’t be found in the Miami Valley.
If you are in areas where the bear has been spotted, you want to do your part to keep it from wanting to stick around. Officials said to put away trash cans, bird feeders, pet foods, clean grease off grills and most importantly leave the bear alone.
Previous Stories: June 15, 2009: Black Bear Spotted Again June 12, 2009: Black Bear May Still Be Roaming Area June 11, 2009: The Bear Is Back! June 11, 2009: Black Bear Spotted In Warren County