Bears in Michigan Cities | Grand Rapids News

Rare black bears are turning up in Southeast Michigan—Wayne and Monroe counties—sparking surprise since it’s been years since sightings this far south. The DNR says these likely young males are just wandering, covering up to 100 miles as they search for new territory. Once widespread across Michigan, bears were nearly wiped out by development and hunting, especially here in the Lower Peninsula, while the Upper Peninsula still hosts nearly 13,000. People react differently based on familiarity with bear behavior and how much control they feel—they’re generally scared of humans and pose little threat. While urban areas like metro Detroit aren’t ideal (roads = danger), bears are adapting, and the DNR hopes communities will grow more accepting over time under their long-standing management plan that lets populations expand naturally. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/0ec4ff2c01001fe1