Greensboro Reporter

If you spot the occasional black bear in the Greensboro region, take it as proof that the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's efforts are working.

At least five black bear sightings have been reported within the Piedmont Triad since April, with bears spotted in Greensboro, High Point, Kernersville, King and Stokesdale, WFMY News 2 reported.

"Historically we did have a situation that many years ago where we had very few bears in NC, and we were working very hard to protect them and make sure they weren't going to disappear," wildlife expert Falyn Owens told WFMY News 2. "Today those conservation efforts have been very successful and we have a very healthy robust bear population."

The prospect of seeing a bear naturally scares some people. Owens said should a bear be encountered, it's okay to look at and appreciate it, but it's important to maintain a safe distance, WFMY News 2 reported.

"This is the time of year that bears are going off on their own after getting old enough that they don't have to stick around with mom anymore," Owens said. "Most of the sightings we see in Piedmont are these younger, usually male bears that are dispersing off to find a territory of their own that is far away from anyone that they might be related to."