“It’s quite scary, I don’t want to wake up and see a bear right outside where I am, ” said Alexis Jensen. 

There are over 900 black bears roaming across the Show-Me- state.

On Thursday… a black bear cub was spotted wandering around Springfield.

Later that night — he was hit and killed on the James River Freeway. 

Wildlife damage biologist – josh wisdom – handles conflict calls involving animals.

He tells me as we enter the summer months,  it’s very common to see young male black bears travel on their own as they begin to leave their mothers.

” They look for resources they can use and oftentimes, though, they end up in the middle of town, they end up in weird places that they wouldn’t normally be because they’re on their own. for the first time, “ said Wisdom. 

In addition to the bear spotted yesterday in Springfield, there have also been sightings this year in Festus and Salem.

I spoke with a group of friends who hike and walk the trails here in Springfield but say they will now have to keep an extra eye out in case they come across a bear.

“ If you’re just walking outside and then you see a gigantic bear… I would be scared. I would want to run away. it would make you not want to go outside. ” 

Wisdom says if you run into a bear or see one on your property… to stay away. 

He says do not feed them on purpose, but if they’re getting into pet food.. or trash cans — try and secure or remove them after the bear is gone so they don’t return. 

“ I want to make sure people understand that they’re not especially dangerous as a grizzly bear or something like that. It’s a large mammal and anything with a mouth can bite you. But they’re not exceptionally dangerous, “ said Wisdom.