Athens County residents reported spotting black bears roaming the county 13 times in 2010, a number more than 500 times that of 2009 - following a 25-year increase in sightings throughout the state.
The county topped the charts in Ohio with 13 sightings, tying Portage County for the number one spot. In 2010, there were 164 black bear sightings in Ohio, according to an Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife report.
Of the 13 reported sightings in the county, division officials confirmed eight, said Suzie Prange, spokeswoman for the division.
"That is a big jump for Athens," Prange said, adding that Northeastern Ohio usually gets the most black bears.
In 2009, only two bears were spotted in the county, one of which was confirmed, she said.
Throughout the state, 164 black bear sightings were reported, 64 of which were confirmed. The sightings were caused by 31 different black bears that were spotted in 23 Ohio counties, according to the report.
Black bear sightings have increased in Ohio over the past 25 years because more bears are migrating from West Virginia and Pennsylvania, according to the Wayne National Forest's website.
"I think it is really great that black bears are coming back to Ohio and diversifying the wildlife," said Lynda Andrews, the Athens Ranger District wildlife biologist for the forest.
In 2009, 119 black bears were spotted in Ohio and in 2008, 105 black bears were spotted, according to the division.
Throughout Athens County, one or two bears were spotted in the cities of Athens, Belpre, Logan and Washington, Prange said, adding that these bears were the cause of the 13 sightings.
In the city of Athens, residents spotted the bear on Richland Avenue, Stimson Avenue, State Street and near the Athens County Library in August.
Black bears were also spotted in the Wayne National Forest in Nelsonville where a population of black bears reside, Andrews said, adding that there is no definite number of how many live there.
To track the bears, division officials placed cameras in the forest to capture the bears on film, she added.
Although black bears do come in the vicinity of the county population, Prange said residents should not be alarmed.
"Most black bears want to leave people alone," Andrews said. "They have an excellent sense of smell and will smell people and run away before you even know one is close."
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