Black bear goes viral in Germantown; what to do if you see one

A black bear was caught on video crossing a street in Germantown, Maryland, last week, prompting a viral Reddit post and renewed guidance from wildlife officials about how to handle an encounter with the animals, which are increasingly venturing into Montgomery County suburbs.

The video, posted to the r/MontgomeryCountyMD subreddit by user KookyDiscipline5911, shows the bear near Waring Station Road and Summer Oak Drive. The poster noted having reported the sighting to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The 22-second clip drew hundreds of upvotes and dozens of comments, with many users amused by the bear’s apparent use of the crosswalk. “He used the crosswalk!” wrote one commenter. “He looked both ways too,” replied another.

The sighting is part of a pattern that wildlife officials have come to expect each spring and early summer. Maryland’s black bear population is growing and expanding, said Jonathan Trudeau, the game mammal section leader for the Maryland DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service, and neighboring states are seeing similar growth. Bears have also learned to navigate what Mr. Trudeau described as “green corridors” of parkland in suburban areas that provide cover and access to water, and increasingly appear to be moving at night. 

Some Maryland wildlife professionals predict that Montgomery County will be the next county to be home to a permanent, breeding population of black bears. DNR estimates there are approximately 1,500 to 2,000 black bears in the state, though the number is difficult to pin down because bears frequently move between states, according to Mr. Trudeau.

Bear sightings are most common in Montgomery County in June and July, when young, solitary animals — frequently young males — travel considerable distances in search of a suitable home range, according to Montgomery Parks. One Reddit commenter offered the same assessment: “That’s a young male out for a yearling rumspringa.”

State wildlife officials and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources offer consistent guidance for residents who encounter a bear.

First and foremost: Don’t panic, and don’t approach. Brian Eyler, associate director of Wildlife and Heritage Service at the Maryland DNR, describes black bears as generally docile and not aggressive animals. The best thing to do if you encounter one, he said, is give it space. 

Mr. Trudeau advises that if you find yourself closer than you’d like on a trail, make your presence known but stay calm. “If it’s walking toward you, you just walk backward as slowly as you can,” he said. Because black bears tend to be more skittish than western grizzly and brown bears, making loud noises — a whistle, shouting — can scare them off. 

The DNR’s official guidance says to back away slowly with arms raised to appear large, ensure the bear has an escape route, and keep pets and children close. If a bear refuses to leave, make loud noises. Never run, as that may trigger a chase response. If a bear makes physical contact, do not play dead — fight back.

Warning signs that you are too close include a bear that woofs, snaps its jaws, slaps the ground or brush, or bluff charges. A bear standing upright, however, is not displaying aggression — it is simply trying to get a better sense of smell. 

To report a bear-related emergency, call the DNR at 1-410-260-8888.

How to avoid attracting bears to your property

Bears venture into neighborhoods primarily in search of food. The DNR recommends removing bird feeders from April through November, keeping garbage locked in bear-proof containers or inside a garage or shed, rinsing trash cans with ammonia to eliminate food odors, and storing pet food indoors at all times. 

Grills should also be kept clean, as lingering food odors from past cookouts can draw bears into backyards. Bears also have an exceptionally keen sense of smell — their heads may look large, Mr. Trudeau noted, but their eyes are small, and like dogs, their noses do most of the work.