Black Bear Spotted In Dufief Local Park

An out of town visitor has been spotted in North Potomac in recent days.

A young Black Bear was seen near on Sunday afternoon and near on Monday, according to the Montgomery County Department of Natural Resources.

The Dufief Homeowners Association informed Dufief Elementary School of the sighting, said Dufief Elementary Principal Dorothy Reitz. The bear was seen in the Dufief Elementary School playground and in the neighboring , Reitz said. 

In an abundance of caution, Reitz said, all students were kept inside the building for recess on Monday. A blackboard connect phone message was sent to parents on Monday afternoon informing them of the situation.

"After collaborating with central office, we made the decision to keep the children in for recess today due to the uncertainty of the situation. She is not certain how or when we may find out that the bear has been captured," the message said.

The bear is believed to be 2 years old and weigh approximately 80 lbs. Three people reported seeing the bear around Chestnut Ridge Court and Chestnut Grove Road on Sunday, May 1, said Ken D'Loughy, Regional Manager of the Montgomery County National Resources Department.

A fourth person reported seeing the bear near on Travilah Road on Monday.

While uncommon, D'Loughy said a bear has been spotted in a Montgomery County neighborhood nearly every year for the past 10 or 15 years.

"This is the time of year," D'Loughy said. "A cub usually stays with the female for the first two years and the second year they are sent off."

D'Loughy said the bears usually find their own way out of neighborhoods and can travel up to 100 miles. 

In the meantime, D'Loughy warns residents to make sure trashcans are securely closed and birdfeeders are out of reach.

Montgomery County Public Schools spokesperson Dana Tofig said while a bear sighting is not typical, the school followed normal procedure and contacted the central office.

"We handled it like any other unusual circumstance," Tofig said. "We assess risk and ask the experts, which in this case was the Department of Natural Resources."

In addition to keeping students inside for recess, Reitz said teachers spoke to students about the dangers of wild animals and warned them not to approach the bear if they should see it.