Bear Spotted In Maple Grove, Residents Urged To Take Caution

MAPLE GROVE, MN — City officials in Maple Grove are asking residents to take caution after a bear was spotted in the area of 107th Avenue and Zachary Lane Saturday. The bear is believed to be a juvenile that was separated from its mother.

There have been no reports of damage caused by the bear. However, residents are now asked to take down bird feeders and secure garbage cans as a way to encourage the young bear to travel north and leave the area.

Kristy Barnett of the Maple Grove City Council shared a photo of the bear below:

Tips from the DNR

If people encounter a bear, the first thing they should do is back away slowly. They need to give the bear an escape route and make noise to scare the bear away, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

People should also clean-up and remove potential attractants such as bird feeders, garbage, and compost bins to reduce the chances of bears moving into developed and residential areas.

Bear sightings outside of their primary northern forest range can be reported on an interactive map-based application on the Minnesota DNR website.

Last year, a bear was shot and killed in the east Twin Cities metro.