Indiana marks its second black bear sighting in 140 years

CORYDON, Ind., July 20 (UPI) -- A black bear captured on drone video wandering near an Indiana town is only the second of its species to be spotted in the state in the past 100 years.

Police and Indiana Department of Natural Resources officers were searching the area surrounding the town of Corydon after numerous reported bear sightings, starting with the bear seen going through a resident's garbage Sunday night, culminating in the animal being caught on drone camera Monday.

DNR officials said they would be monitoring the bear in the hopes that it would leave the area without the need for a capture and forced relocation.

Indiana conservation officer Jim Schreck said the animal is only the second black bear to be sighted in Indiana in more than 100 years. He said the first was a black bear that wandered into the state from southern Michigan last year.

"We do believe this bear possibly came from Kentucky, swam across the Ohio," Schreck told WAVE-TV.

The DNR said this week's sighting was the first to be officially verified in 140 years.

The bear was believed to have traveled to a location about six miles north of Corydon on Tuesday.