Ohio wildlife officials collar unusually large 576-pound black bear amid rising in sightings

A radio-collared black bear is drawing attention in Ohio after wildlife officials shared news about the unusually large animal.

At 576 pounds, the roaming male is far bigger than the black bear most people in Ohio would expect to encounter.

What happened?

According to Richland Source, the Ohio Division of Wildlife and researchers from the Gantchoff Lab at the University of Dayton worked together this week to fit the bear with a radio collar. The Ohio Division of Wildlife later shared the update on Facebook.

With the collar in place, researchers can follow the bear's movements and learn more about his behavior.

Richland Source reported that adult black bears can weigh anywhere from 150 to 700 pounds, with males averaging about 300.

Why does it matter?

Black bears appear to be increasing in number and showing up across a broader stretch of Ohio. Richland Source reported that sightings hit a record 537 in 69 counties in 2025, after 370 sightings in 55 counties in 2024 and 260 in 49 counties in 2023. Over the past decade, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has averaged 239 black bear sighting reports a year.

The species remains listed as endangered in Ohio, according to Richland Source. At the same time, more people may encounter bears near roads, neighborhoods, farms, and campgrounds. 

In many cases, human activity helps create the conditions for those interactions through habitat fragmentation, expanding development, and easy food sources such as unsecured trash, bird seed, and pet food.

Tracking this bear could help wildlife officials better understand where roaming males travel during peak mating season, which runs from mid-June through mid-July, and how to reduce risky encounters between people and wildlife.

What are people saying?

Staff biologist Katie Dennison said seeing a male this large in Ohio was unexpected. She described him as "young middle-aged, but definitely an adult" and said he was likely in the area for breeding.

Commenters on the Ohio Division of Wildlife's Facebook post were intrigued by the process.

"It would be interesting to follow the bear's journey and see how the research informs conservation policies," wrote one user.

"Young adult that weighs 576?!!!" another said incredulously.

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