PERRY TOWNSHIP — An adult male black bear was euthanized by authorities on Saturday after being struck by a pickup truck just south of Lexington in Richland County. The incident occurred on Ohio 546 near Black Road, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The news was confirmed on Monday by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife after circulating locally on social media platforms over the weekend. A photo claiming to show the bear after the incident was shared on the Facebook page Lexington Ohio Community 2.0.
Wildlife biologist Katie Dennison stated that the adult male bear weighed 246 pounds, describing it as “a pretty big bear for Ohio.” Dennison explained that it’s mating season for bears, causing adult males to move quickly in search of females.
Authorities arrived at the scene on Saturday and euthanized the bear due to the severity of its injuries. Dennison noted that Ohio has a black bear population of between 50 and 100, with growing numbers in northeast Ohio, particularly around the Ashtabula area.
This incident marks the first confirmed black bear sighting in Richland County since 1999, with only five confirmed sightings in the county since 1990. Dennison highlighted the varied diet of black bears throughout the year, ranging from skunk cabbage and ant colonies in spring to berries in summer and nuts in fall. The omnivores also forage for food, including roadside carrion.
There were reports of a black bear moving through Licking, Delaware, and Morrow counties last week, but Dennison stated that the Division of Wildlife cannot confirm if this was the same bear. She encouraged anyone who sees a bear to report the sighting to the Division of Wildlife using the link provided on the ODNR website.
For more information on black bears in Ohio, residents can visit Wildohio.gov or call 1-800-WILDLIFE. The Ohio bear tracking app is also available for download.
