A Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/21/2012). Although individuals are prone to wandering - occasionally leading to well-publicized events - Black Bears are generally only encountered in western Maryland in Garrett, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick Counties.

Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

A Black Bear cub in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/30/2009).

Photo by Mikey Lutmerding MBP List

Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 490536 - Psn: 45)

View Record Details Photo by Kyle Klotz MBP List

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 671439 - Psn: 55)

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

A Black Bear in Howard Co., Maryland (6/26/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jason Hoffert MBP List

A Black Bear in Howard Co., Maryland (6/26/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jason Hoffert MBP List

A Black Bear in Howard Co., Maryland (6/26/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jason Hoffert MBP List

Black Bear in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Steven Lamonde, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>CC BY</a>). (Photo ID: 518496 - Psn: 66)

Black Bear in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Steven Lamonde, some rights reserved (CC BY).

View Record Details Photo by Steven Lamonde via iNaturalist MBP List

Black Bear in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) catchang, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 335159 - Psn: 76)

Black Bear in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) catchang, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by catchang via iNaturalist MBP List

Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 492555 - Psn: 78)

View Record Details Photo by Kyle Klotz MBP List

Black Bears having a swim in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Randy Bodkins, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 454555 - Psn: 88)

Black Bears having a swim in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Randy Bodkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Randy Bodkins via iNaturalist MBP List

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 1276093 - Psn: 88)

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by danieltayloroc via iNaturalist MBP List

Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 493663 - Psn: 90)

View Record Details Photo by Kyle Klotz MBP List

Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 490232 - Psn: 188)

View Record Details Photo by Kyle Klotz MBP List

Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 490530 - Psn: 188)

View Record Details Photo by Kyle Klotz MBP List

Black Bear track in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 683631 - Psn: 190)

Black Bear track in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

A Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/1/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Boyer and McDowell MBP List

Black Bear in Harford Co., Maryland (6/20/2012).

View Record Details Photo by Marsha Webb MBP List

Black Bear track in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 485982 - Psn: 225)

View Record Details Photo by Kyle Klotz MBP List

A Black Bear print in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/5/2012).

Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

A presumed Black Bear print at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/16/2007). Sightings from elsewhere in Montgomery County were reported through at least the end of the month.

Photo by Philip Brody MBP List

Black Bear tracks in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 804386 - Psn: 325)

Black Bear tracks in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

Evidence of Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/9/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Boyer and McDowell MBP List

Black Bear skull in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 584907 - Psn: 354)

Black Bear skull in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Mark Eanes, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>CC BY</a>). (Photo ID: 374262 - Psn: 355)

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Mark Eanes, some rights reserved (CC BY).

View Record Details Photo by Mark Eanes MBP List

Black Bear scat in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 498280 - Psn: 355)

Black Bear scat in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

Black Bear skull in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

Black Bear skull in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

Black Bear track in snow in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>CC BY</a>). (Photo ID: 714023 - Psn: 455)

Black Bear track in snow in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY).

View Record Details Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist MBP List

Black Bear scat in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/10/2014).

Photo by Matt Tillett MBP List

Map Snapshot

186 Records

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO

Status

Black Bears are uncommon residents in Maryland's four western counties. Records from elsewhere in the state are rare wanderers.

Description

Unmistakable. Only bear species in the Eastern U.S.

Where To Find

Western Allegany Co. and Garrett Co.

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

View at iNaturalist Search Google Images Search MBP Facebook posts

Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

A Black Bear cub in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/30/2009). Media by Mikey Lutmerding.

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.

A Black Bear in Howard Co., Maryland (6/26/2016). View Record Details Media by Jason Hoffert.

Black Bear in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Steven Lamonde, some rights reserved (CC BY). View Record Details Media by Steven Lamonde via iNaturalist.

Black Bear in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) catchang, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by catchang via iNaturalist.

Black Bears having a swim in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Randy Bodkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Randy Bodkins via iNaturalist.

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by danieltayloroc via iNaturalist.

Black Bear track in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.

A Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/1/2014). View Record Details Media by Boyer and McDowell.

Black Bear in Harford Co., Maryland (6/20/2012). View Record Details Media by Marsha Webb.

A Black Bear print in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/5/2012). Media by Frode Jacobsen.

A presumed Black Bear print at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/16/2007). Sightings from elsewhere in Montgomery County were reported through at least the end of the month. Media by Philip Brody.

Black Bear tracks in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Josh Emm.

Evidence of Black Bear in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/9/2018). View Record Details Media by Boyer and McDowell.

Black Bear skull in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Josh Emm.

Black Bear in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Mark Eanes, some rights reserved (CC BY). View Record Details Media by Mark Eanes.

Black Bear scat in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Josh Emm.

Black Bear skull in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Josh Emm.

Black Bear track in snow in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). View Record Details Media by Alina Martin via iNaturalist.

Black Bear scat in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/10/2014). Media by Matt Tillett.