A curious black bear is on the loose in Fort Washington, Maryland, and has been seen rummaging through trash cans and knocking over backyard furniture.
Video posted by WTOP news partners at NBC Washington showed the black bear meandering down a Fort Washington alleyway near a home.
Since Saturday, the bear has been spotted on surveillance footage posted to social media.
Sightings of the bear in backyards and roads prompted residents to call state and local authorities.
Some told NBC Washington they were concerned and scared.
According to the Humane Society, “nuisance bears” can make repetitive trips into suburban environments when they’ve found a food source — including trash, grills, bird feeders and pet food — causing them to gradually lose their instinctive fear of humans.
To help prevent conflicts with bears, the Humane Society suggests making trash and recycling bins inaccessible, keeping grills clean, enclosing compost bins and rethinking bird feeders.
More information can be found on their website.
