Central Lane 911 has had calls coming in from the 31st Avenue and Willamette area advising a bear has been spotted, including jumping into a backyard and being treed by a dog. Oregon State Police has two game wardens in the area and is aware of the sightings. Bears are native to Oregon and do not normally pose a problem if they are on the fringe of town. Unless a bear is presenting an immediate danger of attacking or has been hit by a vehicle, please do not call 911.
This is a reminder for people in that area to be observant and keep their children and pets close when recreating in natural areas. Eugene has many natural areas and parks that are home to a wide variety of wildlife. These natural areas are one of the many attractive aspects of Eugene. Deer, squirrels, and birds live in these areas, but there may also be occasional, stray visits from bears, cougars and other predators. Eugene has areas that are close to forested and rural areas where bears and cougars reside. People should always be respectful of the fact that all wildlife is in fact “wild” and should be given a wide berth.
For more information about bears and other wildlife, please contact Oregon State Police and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Here is a link to ODFW pages with information/tips about bears:
https://myodfw.com/articles/help-keep-bears-wild
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