Photos: Black Bear Spotted in Small Town Just 30 Minutes From Rochester
A bit of excitement happened in a small town in Southeast Minnesota today. A black bear was spotted, which spurred several posts and warnings to residents in the area.
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Black Bear Spotted in Town Near Rochester, Minnesota on Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, several notes were shared on social media about a black bear sighting in Claremont, Minnesota, which is about a 30 minute drive from Rochester.
The bear is in residential areas. Do not approach the bear or feed the bear! - City of Claremont Facebook Page
Cassandra Wald shared the photos that she took with our team and said “He was found in a culvert off of County Road three not a mile from my house“
Black Bear Prompts Reminders About Safety From Dodge County Sheriff
While black bears are not super common in Southeast Minnesota, they have been spotted in our area before. Thanks to the Minnesota DNR Black Bear Sighting website, it appears that black bear sightings have appeared near Owatonna, Chatfield, Clarks Grove, near Wykoff, and also Plainview.
When sightings do happen, there are several key reminders to help keep everyone safe and to help the bear keep moving along. The Minnesota DNR and the Dodge County Sheriff reminded the public of those safety tips in their Facebook message below:
BLACK BEAR IN CLAREMONT AREA
At this time, both our office and the Minnesota DNR are asking residents to help the bear move through naturally by removing anything that may encourage it to stay. The biggest concern right now is people unintentionally attracting the bear by leaving out garbage, bird feeders, pet food, or by approaching and feeding it.
The best thing we can do is give the bear space, avoid attracting it, and allow it to continue on its way.
Please take a moment to review the safety information in the graphic below — especially regarding children, pets, garbage cans, and bird feeders.
Thank you to everyone for staying aware, using common sense, and helping us keep both our residents and the bear safe.
Your Sheriff,
Scott
Minnesota Animals That Are Great Swimmers
Gallery Credit: Ken Hayes
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