Bears spotted again at Maple Grove park

Bears again spotted in Maple Grove

Two years after the last sighting, bears have been spotted at a Maple Grove park.

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Over the 4,900 acres of Elm Creek Park Reserve, it's common to see a variety of wildlife, like birds and deer. But in recent years, some furrier and more ferocious fauna have moved in.

Bears spotted

What we know:

The Three Rivers Park District says a mother bear with a fresh batch of cubs has been seen at the reserve this spring. This comes after a FOX 9 viewer spotted this family of four strolling in the park back in 2023.

What they're saying:

"You don't expect to see (them), but apparently they do live here," said Maple Grove mother Sofía Smedsrud.

"When come here with my kids, I just make sure we are chatting...because we wouldn't want to come upon a bear and her cubs and spook them. We love coming here and we are just cautious," continued Smedsrud.

And that's exactly what you should be doing, according to the experts at Bear Wise.

Bears spotted in Maple Grove

A FOX 9 viewer spotted some of the park's newest residents: three black bear cubs, happily strolling along with their mom.

Safety around bears

What you can do:

Never approach or feed bears, and secure your garbage, bird feeders and grills. If you do come upon a bear in the woods, never run away, just slowly back up and wait for the bear to leave. Keep your kids close and dogs on a leash, too.

If you see a bear in a Three Rivers park, please report the sighting to their wildlife department by calling 763-694-7840 or emailing wildlife@ThreeRiversParks.org.

You can also report the sighting to the Minnesota DNR.