By Andy Augenbaugh, Times Outdoors Writer
Possibly for the first time in almost a hundred years a black bear has been seen in Carroll County. As reported in the Carroll County Times on May 26, a yearling bear was seen in the Union Mills and Westminster area.
History of Maryland black bears
When settlers arrived in Carroll County, black bears roamed statewide across Maryland. However, by the late 1800s and early 1900s, the black bear population had dropped dramatically. Settlers cleared the landscape for agriculture, industry, and timber production, resulting in most of Maryland's suitable black bear habitat being lost. Settlers feared black bears and they killed them whenever a bear was encountered. This indiscriminate killing, combined with the large-scale habitat loss and a lack of conservation laws, eliminated black bears from most parts of the state.
According to Md. DNR, by the mid-20th century, black bears could only be found in the rugged mountainous areas in Western Maryland. By the mid- 1950s, only a few bears were estimated to remain in the state. In 1953, the black bear hunting season was closed due to concerns of a dwindling bear population. In 1972, the status of black bears was changed from "forest game animal" to "endangered species" in Maryland.
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