Austintown police report black bear sighting

AUSTINTOWN — After a black bear sighting was reported this week, township police are cautioning residents to avoid the creatures and contact police.

The bear was sighted along Cross Cove, near the Oakcrest Avenue-state Route 11 overpass, according to the police department's Facebook page.

Police said residents who spot a black bear shouldn't approach it, rather, they should contact the police department at 330-799-9721.

One resident's video shared by the department shows a bear lurking near a shed:

"Black bears are usually fearful of people, therefore bear attacks are a rare occurrence," reads an Ohio Department of Natural Resources fact sheet on black bears.

If you encounter a black bear, you should remain calm and be "AWARE":

• Act calm and do not run.
• Warn the bear that you are near; talk in a firm, calm voice.
• Allow space between you and the bear. Step aside and back slowly away. Do not make the bear feel trapped or threatened.
• Raise your hands above your head to appear larger if the bear approaches. Clap your hands or shout to scare the bear away.
• Exit the area.

Black bears are most active early in the morning at late at night, according to ODNR. In areas where humans live or are regularly active, such as residential neighborhoods, bears tend to move around more at night.

They're most commonly found in forested areas in northeast and southeast Ohio.

More than 170 confirmed black bear sightings were reported in the Mahoning Valley between 1993 and 2018, including 120 sightings in Trumbull County and 30 in Mahoning.

This story was originally published April 24, 2021 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Austintown police report black bear sighting."