There’s a WHAT? WHERE?
MOM!!!
• • •
They tell us that this rarely happens. That’s what they say.
I mean, I’ve lived in southern Ohio for 25+ years and it’s a first.
Rather like the nighttime burglars who scared us into turning our lights on & speaking with one another.
Shocking, really.
Of course, the human miscreants have been nabbed. Put in the hoosegow. Sent away for bothering us here in suburbia.
• • •
But this fellow…
is getting away with anything and everything that he can…
because the authorities don’t want to mess with him…
Never underestimate cute. Remember Smokey? And Yogi? And Fozzie?
But you have to wonder, did they manage to have 2 Twitter accounts: @ClermontCtyBear & @MiamiTwpBear?
• • •
Just observe him, they say.
Bears are good swimmers, they tell us.
Isn’t it wonderful how he made it this far north into Ohio?
If you encounter him, they suggest that you do this:
“Speak in a firm voice and if necessary, raise your arms above your head and clap.”
• • •
Taking a differing point of view than the authorities, I am.
Waiting each day to learn that an 85 lbs male black bear has caught a ferry back to Kentucky and is looking for love in all the right places.
Hoping to go outside at night without fear. Too much to ask?
Don’t care if it is. Asking for it anyway.
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
There was a bear the first summer we moved here in 2012. It was spotted a block away walking down the street. The proper authorities were called in and the bear was tranquilized and taken to a more appropriate place, not sure where. It sure was all over the news for several days! I hope your bear finds his way back home. I’m sure he’s scared, too.
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Beth, I agree that he must be scared. The last I read he was now much farther into the city, heading toward downtown which is on the river. His instincts to get back where he belongs are good, but whether he’ll survive traffic… who knows?
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Awwww. Bear! All the time I lived in Wyoming I never saw a bear. The closest was when a bunch of us were pulled off the road in Yellowstone because there was a bear in the area. (So we were lunch in case the bear was hungry or what?) So I’m quite jealous. We supposedly have the occasional bear around here, but of course I’ve never seen one.
I wish your baby bear luck and I hope he moves on so you can feel a bit more safe. How is the light the neighborhood going? Have the burglaries stopped?
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Zazzy, I have yet to see this bear and I’m okay with that. But it has been fun news. [Check out the Twitter accounts. Clever.]
And the burglars have been caught which makes me happy. Lights remain on however.
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Bears are not fun to see up close, I wouldn’t think. My brother lives in Alaska, and the bears are all over the place. They’ve learned to go through trash, which isn’t good for them, makes a big mess, and teaches them that populated areas are a good place to find food, which generally has very bad consequences. And then there are the stupid tourists, who try to get as close as they can, so they can take a picture with the bear. Not bright. If a bear attacks a tourist, which one do you think will get shot?
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J, you’re right, of course. The bear will get shot because the people were stupid. So far [cross your fingers] no one has gotten close to this guy. He’s just been spotted all over the place, currently making his way south through the region. If he gets to the river again his instincts should guide him to swim back to where he came from… where there are lots of girl bears waiting for a dreamboat like this guy to call their own.
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If I saw a bear, I’d have your attitude. 🙂
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Andra, really. Bear in the zoo, very happy to see. Bear in my backyard, not pleased. It’s just that simple in my book.
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Ooh, I don’t like bears much, in fact I’m rather phobic. Yet I’m going to Alaska in a few weeks. WHAT WAS I THINKING?
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Margaret, I like the idea of bears. Lovely animals on paper or in a cartoon, but when one comes nosing around our yard I find that I’m not enthusiastic. Go figure.
Hope you enjoy Alaska, despite the bears. Maybe it’ll be so pretty that the you’ll forget about the bears.
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Ditto, Ally. I like the idea of bears also. Just like i liked the idea of coyotes UNTIL I SAW TWO OF THEM LOPING ALONG THE GRASSY AREA NEAR MY SHOPPING CENTER. Honest to G, I almost fainted behind the wheel. Got a real good look, too, so I know what I saw. Coyotes in NEO.
I was in Alaska as part of a cruise. I never saw a single bear. I was there in July and did the Inside Passage with several shore excursions. Bears didn’t appear at all. I wished that they did.
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nance, coyotes? REALLY? Now that’s a new one. Wow.
Of course, what am I saying? This bear is a new one around here, too. Wonder why Ohio is suddenly such a sweet place for these wild animals? Seems odd to me.
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Urban coyotes are becoming quite common. Here’s a google image search http://tinyurl.com/pem9gp3 to amuse you. We have coyotes around here from time to time and they aren’t at all scary. I think the biggest problem is the potential for things like rabies and pets who are allowed to roam outside getting eaten.
And here’s a shot of one of our locals on my patio. https://flic.kr/p/65a3wm
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Zazzy, well I’ll be! I’ve not seen any animal that looks that around here, but if a bear can find its way here, what’s to stop a coyote from getting here too? Amazing. Thanks for the links.
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Is he the bear equivalent of the mug shot hottie? Still can’t believe that women want to date him, but that’s a digression for another post. There was a bear spotted here the other day on someone’s back porch in Chicopee…I could see it maybe where we live in Sunderland, but Chicopee’s pretty urban for that. Be careful out there!
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jennie, I’m sure that this bear is a hottie! How could he not be with all this publicity? And yes, careful is our catch phrase here until this fellow finds his way home, away from suburbia back into the woods. Thanks for your concern.
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