Shireen Rose Shakouri was walking her dog in Northeast Washington’s Brookland neighborhood on Wednesday morning when she saw what she thought was a large, off-leash dog. As she got closer — and it turned to look at her — she captured a photo of a young black bear walking near 14th and Newton streets NE.
Officials said they suspect it is the same bear that was seen roaming across Maryland in recent days and the subject of about half a dozen reports, according to Jonathan Trudeau, bear biologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
“There has been a lot of chatter about the bear in the D.C. area over the past week or so, and it is difficult to say exactly how many... since many of them have been second- or third-hand [accounts],” Trudeau said. “But yes, we have heard of at least a half a dozen reports of the bear in the past few days.”
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Trudeau, who oversees the state’s management of black bears, added that there have been roughly a dozen bear sightings in Maryland — in Glenwood, Olney, Wheaton, Silver Spring and Hyattsville — in the past month. Officials said that recent sightings are typical for this time of year as juveniles disperse in the spring and summer and look for homes.
After seeing the bear, Shakouri contacted the D.C. Humane Rescue Alliance. According to a statement, the organization is actively monitoring the situation with the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment and Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. The organization said that best practices are to allow the bear to “naturally depart the area without intervention” but that officers are prepared to sedate and relocate the bear if necessary.
“Black bears are typically non-aggressive and rarely pose a threat to humans,” the organization wrote. “For the safety of both the public and the bear, we urge individuals not to approach the animal or attempt to take photos at close range, as this is truly what will cause an unsafe environment.”
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Shakouri was only able to capture one photo of the bear before it noticed her watching and walked away while she was still on the phone with the rescue alliance. Neighbors have since named the bear “Otis,” according to a social media post from D.C. Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5).
“D.C. and the surrounding areas are home to a wide range of wildlife and I’m happy to share the city with them,” Shakouri wrote in an email to The Washington Post. “But I’ll be happier when the bear is in a safer and better environment for him and everyone else.”
More bears have appeared in central and southern Maryland in the past five to 10 years, according to Trudeau. The local bear population began to rebound after the 1950s, when hunting was prohibited. He attributed the rise in bear sightings to their growing population, which has led the bears into areas with more people. But he noted that sightings are rare and that technology has made it so residents can capture and share a bear that may have otherwise walked by unnoticed. A 2022 survey found that about 12 percent of Maryland residents have seen a black bear in the wild in the state.
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Noelia Schmidt, a natural resources specialist for Montgomery Parks, said she began tracking bear sightings closely in 2020. She found that sightings occur generally between April and June. She has tracked 10 sightings in Montgomery County since April 20, and she suspects more recent sightings have been the same bear following a green space across the county.
She advised that residents minimize exposing possible food sources, such as bird feeders, pet food, grills and garbage, as bears travel through an area quickly — often moving great distances overnight.
“Despite their size and the way they look, they are scared of humans,” she said. “And we want to try to keep it that way. So there is, you know, very minimum conflict.”
Trudeau advised anyone who comes across a wild bear to speak to it “calmly in a low tone” and make sure it doesn’t feel cornered. Resources and information are available on the Department of Natural Resources website.
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“It’s a very unique and rare experience to see a bear in the wild,” he said. “If you do see the bear, you know, again, appreciate seeing that beautiful, charismatic species. But make sure that you give it space.”
In June, another black bear — named Franklin by some local residents after he posted up in a tree on Franklin Street — made his way through the same Northeast neighborhood before officials relocated him.
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