Bears move in to northern suburbs

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says that northern Anoka and Washington counties now have black bears as permanent residents.

Some people have reported seeing the same individual bears year after year.

DNR officials say they have had bear sightings and complaints from Anoka, Scandia, Forest Lake, Linwood and Hugo this spring, as well from communities farther south, such as Dellwood, Lakeland and Afton.

DNR Urban wildlife specialist Bryan Lueth says they don't know how many bears are permanent residents of Anoka and Washington counties, but it's probably no more than a handful of adults.

Lueth says bears feed mostly on vegetation in the spring, but love finding food sources like bird feeders because they are full of protein.

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Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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