Black bear spotted in Burnsville, Minn. neighborhood

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Photo courtesy of Burnsville Police Department

A black bear was spotted in a neighborhood in southeast Burnsville, Minnesota Thursday morning. 

The Burnsville Police Department confirmed reports of a black bear sighting in an area south of County Road 42 and east of Lac Lavon. Authorities say the bear did not seem to be agitated or aggressive, but people are asked not to leave small pets or children unattended outside for the time being. 

Wildlife experts with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said the black bear appears to be a two-year-old male. They believe he was likely looking for food and many trash cans were out in the area for garbage day. 

The bear was last seen entering a heavily wooded area. 

Wildlife experts with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said the black bear appears to be a two-year-old male. They believe he was likely looking for food and many trash cans were out in the area for garbage day. 

The DNR is asking people to report bear sightings so they can track the state’s expanding black bear range. The primary black bear range is in northern and northeastern Minnesota, but the range has been slowly expanding southward and westward. These days, it is not all that uncommon to see black bears in the Twin Cities metro. 

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