Are there bears in Illinois

Answer 1

I assume you mean "are there wild black bears currently living in Illinois"?

I can't say for 100% sure but most likely somewhere yes. Biologists on the other hand don't really recognize a species unless it has a viable breeding population. We do not have a viable breeding population of black bears anywhere in Illinois.

However two of our border states, Wisconsin and Missouri do and their ranges are increasing. There have been confirmed cases of individual bears living in Illinois. One of the most recent was trapped and sent to a zoo in Western Illinois. Also bears have been found going through garbage containers in the southern St. Louis suburbs so it is only a matter of time before we get a small breeding population in the quarter million acre Shawnee National Forest. Northern Illinois is more open and has more row crops but the Galena area along the Mississippi might eventually support a small breeding population though less likely.

Answer 2

Yes, black bears are rare in Illinois. However, they mainly reside in the southern region of the state. It is important to take precautions to prevent encounters with these animals.