Bear Seen Wandering Through Lewiston, Maine Neighborhood

A black bear was spotted in Lewiston on a security camera overnight in the areas of Pettingill Street, Wellman Street, and Central Avenue.

News Center Maine shared a photo of the black bear taken by the security camera wandering through a yard.

It's not the first time a black bear has been seen wandering through Lewiston. In June of 2022, a black bear was caught on camera in the area of Pleasant Street. Needless to say, bear sightings in the second-largest city in Maine aren't uncommon.

According to The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine has the largest population of black bears in the eastern United States. They're most active between April 1 and November 1 and hibernate from December to April. They also say that it's extremely rare for a black bear to attack, but it's best if you keep your distance if you spot one.

If you should see a bear in your yard, from a safe distance, you can make loud noises, shout, or bang pots and pans together to scare the bear away.

If bears are wandering through backyards, they're on the hunt for food that's easy to get when their regular food sources are scarce.

So what can you do to prevent bears from snooping around in your yard for something to eat? Take bird feeders down, store garbage cans in a building or enclosed by an electric fence, store your grill inside when not in use, and feed pets inside.