This is the FIRST WILD black bear in Iowa in 200 years! Amazing!
Once native to Iowa, black bears have not had wild populations in the state since the 1800s. And if there are cubs, they would be the first documented in Iowa in more than 140 years.
CLAYTON COUNTY, Iowa — Officials said the black bear destroyed beehives south of the town of Wadena. DNR officials tracks and scat found at the scene is from a bear. The landowner reported seeing an estimated 200-pound female bear and two cubs.
The DNR is continuing to investigate and confirm the size or number of bears in the area. They advise people to leave the bears alone, give them plenty of space and to not feed them.
“Wild bears generally avoid people, keeping to themselves and moving along,” said Vince Evelsizer, DNR furbearer and wetland biologist. “That said, we do want people to know there is one around, and we encourage them to give the bear its space — don’t harass or follow the bear, especially if do we have a female bear with cubs.”
This black bear in Iowa is an awesome news. Hopefully, the bear family will keep up living. In the Switzerland, the country where I live, one of the last wild bears was almost directly killed by hunters.
