The Evergreen State College warns public after black bear spotted on Olympia campus
A bear was spotted on The Evergreen State College’s Olympia campus Tuesday afternoon, prompting officials to warn the public.
The college shared an image on social media Wednesday of a what they described as a young, black bear walking on a lawn near a shed. The bear was spotted around 2 p.m. near Overhulse Road Northwest and Evergreen Parkway, said college spokesperson Kelly Von Holtz.
The bear was last seen heading in the direction of a trail parallel to Evergreen Parkway, Von Holtz said. The college does not know where it went from there, she added.
Anyone visiting the trails around the college were advised to make “plenty of noise” to avoid surprising the bear, give it space to retreat without feeling threatened and don’t make eye contact, Von Holtz said. Dogs should remain leashed on the trails, she added.
This is the first bear sighting that has been confirmed this year at the college, Von Holtz said. Still, she said this sighting shouldn’t be considered unusual.
“We have 1,000 acres of forest so it’s totally not unlikely to come across wildlife,” Von Holtz said.
The public can report bear sightings to Washington Fish and Wildlife at 360-902-2036 or email enforcement-web@dfw.wa.gov. Von Holtz said people can also call 911 if they feel they are in danger.
