Fairfax County police say the first seasonal bear sightings have been reported in the county.
Police said a medium-sized black bear was spotted crossing the read near Holly Briar Lane and Hollyview Drive in Great Falls at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Other bear sightings were reported Friday morning near Bennington Woods Road, Stowe Road and a walking trail near Autumn Wood Drive, all in the Reston area.
Police say black bear sightings are common this time of year and people shouldn’t be alarmed if they see the bears.
Black bears generally avoid humans. Police say animal control officers will only try to remove a bear from a neighborhood if the animal is sick, injured or poses a threat to people.
To keep bears and other wildlife away from homes, people should not store trash on porches, decks or in vehicles and should take garbage outside the morning it will be picked up, not the night before.
