The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, in partnership with the University of Dayton’s Gantchoff Lab, collared a female black bear on June 3 in Ashtabula County “to learn more about how this species is expanding its range in Ohio,” according to ODNR.
ODNR said this is the first time a female black bear in the state has been fitted with a GPS collar. The species is rare in Ohio and considered a state-endangered species.
Initially, black bears disappeared from Ohio in the mid-1800s, but in the last few decades they have since been making a comeback due to “naturally recolonizing the state from healthy populations in bordering areas,” according to ODNR.
The female black bear was released unharmed after being fitted with a tracking collar earlier this month.
“It was captured on private land in northeast Ohio with landowner permission and released unharmed in the same location after a GPS collar was attached,” ODNR stated. “GPS collars remotely transmit location data, helping researchers to learn about the habitat use and preferences of individual bears.”
Researchers can use the location information to learn about a bear’s home range size and space requirements, survival rate and their reproductive status, including litter size and frequency of reproduction.
The female black bear is 5- to 10-years-old and weighs 198 pounds.
The collar is programmed to fall off the bear before its battery dies, typically after about 18 months.
A two-year-old male black bear was spotted in Clinton County in the middle of June, followed by two additional sightings last week in Greene and Montgomery counties.
Alex Almeter, an officer with ODNR in Greene County, said the male black bear was kicked out of its mother’s den and is trying to find its way.
“Leave it alone — let it do its own thing,” Almeter said. “If you see it, you can report it.”
He added if people can get a picture of the bear, it helps ODNR verify the actual sighting because a lot of individuals make false claims of seeing the bear.
He said there’s no information regarding the bear being aggressive or damaging property.
Through the University of Dayton and ODNR’s partnership, the project aims to put GPS collars on 10 to 20 Ohio resident black bears to monitor their movement and reproduction.
The project also wants to estimate the state’s black bear population trajectories, habitat suitability and factors impacting human-bear conflicts.
In addition to the female bear collared this month, the project is monitoring the movements of a male bear collared in northeast Ohio in July 2024.
ODNR said it is likely that most bears seen in Ohio are young male bears leaving Pennsylvania and West Virginia in search of a mate and territory, and they are unlikely to stay in an area long-term unless a resident female bear is present.
Female bears that establish a home range are more likely to remain in Ohio as in recent years, the Division of Wildlife has confirmed the presence of female black bears with cubs in northeast Ohio.
Report observations of the bears, including photos or videos, to the Division of Wildlife via the HuntFish OH mobile app or here.
It is likely that most bears seen in Ohio are young male bears dispersing from Pennsylvania and West Virginia. These male bears wander widely in search of a mate and territory, and they are unlikely to stay in an area long-term unless a resident female bear is present. Female bears that establish a home range are more likely to remain in Ohio. In recent years, the Division of Wildlife has confirmed the presence of female black bears with cubs in northeast Ohio.
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