Black Bear Hibernating In Indiana May Awake Soon

Staff Reporter Alex Batchelor

In Madison Indiana a black bear was spotted last November at the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. Wildlife officials say the black bear should awake from its Winter slumber soon. Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources says the bear most likely is hibernating just north of the Ohio River. The DNR expects the bear to make an appearance mid-February depending on weather conditions. Officials are telling locals of the area to secure trash cans and take down bird feeders to keep the bear away from humans. They don’t want the bear to become used to human food and seek it out, becoming a “problem bear”. This is only the second wild black bear sighting in Indiana since the 1870’s. Residents should call to report bear sightings to dfw@dnr.IN.gov or to call (812) 334-1137.