FRANKLIN, wis. — Another black bear spotting, this time in Franklin, Wis.!
An employee of Allis-Roller near their shop at 60th and Ryan recorded the bear recently hanging out on a patch of grass near the road.
"It's incredible," said Marco Lopez.
Franklin Police said in a social media post that they are aware of the bear spotting in the area of 60th and Ryan and have contacted the DNR.
David Hughes saw the video on social media and realized the bear was right outside his office at Dalor Transit.
"I would have never thought a bear would be around our business park right here," Hughes said.
Hughes believes the bear came from the woods behind his parking lot, which backs up to the Root River. The Milwaukee County Parks Sports Complex is nearby, but the area is mostly forest and businesses.
The DNR is asking people who live nearby to remove their bird feeders, sweep away any excess seed, and lock up garbage cans.
Wisconsin is home to a "thriving" population of about 24,000 black bears. While most live in the northern part of the state, due to a population boom they are increasingly being spotted down south, according to the Wisconsin DNR.
This time of year is also mating season for the bears, who recently ended their 'denning' period. That means bears are traveling sometimes great distances to find a mate. Cubs are typically born in the middle of the denning period, usually between the middle of January and early February.
It has already been a busy season for black bear-watchers in SE Wisconsin. They have been spotted in Waukesha and Washington counties.
Read the DNR's guide regarding black bears - including how to prevent the bears from wandering onto your property, and what to do if you spot one in a public area. Do not approach or run away—instead back away slowly to a safe area.
The DNR says it is in contact with USDA—Wildlife Services in case the bear needs to safely be moved out of the area.
