(Updated at 8:30 p.m.) Several people have reported the sighting of a bear near Home Depot in Reston.
In a tweet, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn warned residents of a bear sighting near the hardware store at 1651 Reston Parkway. A representative for Alcorn’s office said the Reston Police District received several reports.
Sgt. Earit Powell with Animal Protextion Police said it is likely the same bear that was seen in McLean over the last week and a half is in the Reston area.
The bear has not showed any threatening behavior but has been getting into trash and bird feeders, Powell said.
“We are also directing people to contact the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline at 855-571-9003 to report sightings and any conflicts with bears. This helpline is operated by the DWR and USDA Wildlife Services,” he added.
Another individual told FFXnow they saw a bear on Temporary Road.
Cameron Perez told FFXnow that she called 911 when she spotted the bear earlier this morning.
“I was coming back from work around 9:20am in the crossing light of Temporary Road and North Shore is the new traffic light that was installed recently,” Carmen said. “It was a black juvenile bear.”
Resident Matt Sweeney says he saw the bear in the Browns Chapel Park area this morning, posting videos on NextDoor that showed the animal crossing a road and lumbering through woods.
“It happened at around 8:05am at Browns Chapel,” he told FFXnow. “I first saw it on the paved trail running parallel to Baron Cameron [Road].”
There have been a number of reported bear sightings in Northern Virginia this month, including in McLean and Arlington. It’s unclear whether these have been the same animal or different ones.
My office has heard that a bear 🐻 has been seen in Reston near Home Depot. The bear hasn't shown behaviors that indicate a public safety threat. Call Virginia Wildlife Helpline 855-571-9003 to report sightings. https://t.co/XZwpKwLcis#Reston #HunterMill
— Supervisor Walter Alcorn (@WalterAlcornFFX) June 28, 2023