Black bear spotted in Dakota County neighborhood

Residents in Inver Grove Heights have reported seeing a black bear roaming through the neighborhood.

A St. Paul Pioneer Press report says several people reported seeing a bear Friday and Saturday nights near McGroarty Park.

Dakota County spokesman Troy Ruby says the sightings were within a mile of each other in the northern part of the city.

The state Department of Natural Resources believes the sightings are of the same bear. The agency advises residents to leave it alone and to keep small pets and pet food indoors.

Ruby says the bear isn't believed to pose a threat.

There are about 20,000 black bears in Minnesota. They typically live in the northern third of the state, although they sometimes come further south in search of food.