[DUBUQUE, Iowa] — Black bear sightings are becoming more common in northeast Iowa.
A recent sighting was reported at Findleys Landing Park near the Dubuque County town of Sherrill. Wildlife experts say black bears have been finding their way back into Iowa from surrounding states, and they are the only bear species spotted around the state right now.
Vince Evelsizer, an Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist, explained the bears’ history in the region. “Well the bears were native to Iowa prior to European settlement and so we are not bringing bears into the state as far as reintroduction or anything like that. They’re a large charismatic species,” Evelsizer said.
In 2024, a bear was spotted around Clarke University and made its way around town. Black bears are native to Iowa but were pushed out after agriculture transformed the landscape of the state.
As these bears make their way back, more sightings could occur around wooded areas.