A black bear sighting in southwestern Illinois on Monday marked just the sixth bear sighting in Illinois in 16 years.
According to USA Today, the bear was spotted in Jackson County, 92 miles southeast of St. Louis. Randy Hines was, a Jackson County resident, captured video of the bear, and Jackson County Animal and Rabies Control confirmed the reported sighting later that day.
Notably, the Illinois Department of Natural resources shared that black bears were once common in Illinois. The bears were then eliminated from the region in 1870. Today, they are designated as a "protected species," and have been since 2015.
As protected critters, black bears in Illinois can not be "hunted, killed, or harassed" unless they pose an imminent threat to a person or property. Such issues are rare, as there exists not a single resident population of black bears in the state. Rather, Monday's sighting most likely came by way of a wandering bear, from Missouri or Wisconsin, where resident populations exist.
Black Bear Spotted in Southwest Illinois on Monday
Monday's sighting was the first in Illinois since June 2020. All residents were warned of the risks associated with approaching the bear. While the critters rarely make their way to Illinois, some easy guidelines can keep you safe in the event you stumble into a meeting with a bear.
Maggie Peikon, of the American Hiking Society, has placed emphasis on remaining calm in the event you encounter a bear. She continued that it is never good to run from a bear, exposing your back. Rather, Peikon suggested fighting the bear and resulting to covering your head and neck if overpowered. Moreover, getting as low to the ground as possible makes it difficult for a bear to roll you over, and get access to your vital organs. Likewise, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources emphasized dropping any food you may have during a bear encounter.
Regardless of the risks associated with encountering a bear, the chance you are attacked is still very low. According to the IDNR, black bears are not likely to attack a person unless feeling trapped or provoked. In a state like Illinois, where sightings occur no more often than once every few years, the threat of bears is minuscule at most.
