Experts Say Latest Bear Sighting Is Unusual

A young black bear made a rare and surprising appearance along the Eastern Shore this week. Recent bear sightings, wildlife experts say, are believed to be the first in as long as a century on the Eastern Shore.

The appearance of the fuzzy youngling has surprised experts, who spent much of last month tracking another young bear's epic journey from Western Maryland down to Southern Maryland and up to Baltimore.

Unlike the last bear, however, biologists believe this one likely had a shorter trip, wandering down from Pennsylvania. If the bear was a native Marylander, they reason, it would have had to trek undetected from the bear grounds in Western Maryland through several counties, including Baltimore, and then either swim across the Susquehanna River or cross the Bay Bridge.

In recent years, the bear population in Pennsylvania, aided by wildlife biologists, has been expanding throughout the state. But it's the first time in memory that one has traveled so far south in search of territory, said Robert Beyer, associate director of the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service

The bear made its first appearance Sunday in the Fairlee area of Kent County and has since worked its way south. It was spotted Tuesday night in the Acme store parking lot near downtown Centreville in Queen Anne's County. His historic appearance drew crowds of cellphone picture-snapping residents.

"You know, most people have never seen a bear before, so early on we were getting reports this thing was huge, up to 300 pounds and running through the woods," Beyer said. State biologists estimate that the bear is more like 125 pounds, a young male, perhaps 2 years old.

Officials hope to avoid tranquilizing and transporting this bear as they did last month, when the other bear ambled right up to Baltimore's city limits and two interstate highways. Fortunately, on the Eastern Shore, this bear will have fewer urban centers in which to run into trouble.

Yesterday, the bear was spotted farther south, in Talbot County. "Frankly, he's going the wrong way; there's no other bears down there. It's not the habitat he needs," Beyer said. "Hopefully, he'll turn around at some point. Meanwhile, I'm telling people: 'It's a rare event. Enjoy the moment, but be careful. No feeding or petting, please!' "