Photo by Deborah Freeman

It’s that time of the year when young bears are kicked out of their mother’s habitat, forced to find a territory of their own. One such animal, a black bear that’s about 100 pounds, was spotted in Hyattsville, Maryland this morning.

Unlike other juvenile bears who wander the District’s suburbs for about a week or so, this one has made his presence known for nearly four weeks now, according to Harry Spiker of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. He’s received calls that the bear was also seen in Prince George’s County on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park as well as in Montgomery and Howard counties.

The Washington Post first reported about the bear, which likely came from Northern Virginia or Western, Maryland and eventually settle in one of those places.

Bears are pretty intelligent animals, Spiker says, adding that they learn behaviors such as “looking both ways before they cross the road and then making a run for it.” The bear in question has become quite the expert road-crosser, Spiker continues, as he’s crossed Interstate 70 several times without any vehicular accidents. He usually crosses major roads at night when traffic is less congested.

Spiker (knocking on wood) says that the state has never experienced a human being attacked by a bear. As such, it’s the agency’s policy is to not bother a wild animal of this type unless there’s an imminent threat.

To ensure the safety of all involved, he says that people who encounter the bear should stay back and give it a clear escape.