Police Warn Residents ‘All Of Minnesota Is Bear Country’ After Increased Encounters

A Twin Cities suburb has seen such an uptick in black bear sightings that it's prompted a warning from the local police department. Black bears are expanding their habitat range to different parts of Minnesota and it's causing more human and bear conflicts.

The Forest Lake Police Department issued a warning to residents in June about an increase in black bear encounters in the community. They had received an uptick in 911 calls from residents reporting bears.

Most of the black bear population is located in the Northwoods of Minnesota, but they have been expanding their range further to South Central and Western Minnesota. The Minnesota DNR has tips on how to prevent bear encounters, which usually involves removing any potential food source. Once a bear finds a food source, they will repeatedly return.

Read More: Minnesota Black Bear Range Expands South + West

Keep an eye on your pets in your yard. Don't leave garage doors open, as bears can wander in looking for food. They are hungry, too! The DNR says an average black bear can consume 12,000-20,000 calories in a single day!

You can report a bear sighting online through the Minnesota DNR. They ask that you only report the black bears that have been found outside the gray area, as they are trying to map and understand the expanding black bear habitat.

Read more about black bears and their habitat from the Minnesota DNR.