Bear spotted in Gurnee
A black bear was spotted near the Gurnee Mills mall Wednesday morning.
The Gurnee Police Department confirmed to the Tribune that a report regarding the bear was filed about 8:45 a.m. A video on social media showed the bear running through a parking lot.
According to Wildlife Illinois, housed under the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, “to date there have been five bears confirmed in Illinois in the past few years.” While black bears do not presently have a permanent residence in Illinois, Gurnee’s sighting comes just days after a black bear was spotted in Randolph County.
Armand Cann, wildlife biologist in the Chicago Ecological Services Field Office for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, advised people of how to proceed if they spot a bear.
“For any bear that you do see, you should absolutely keep your distance.” He recommended that, instead of making any form of contact, individuals should call the IDNR.
