WILMINGTON, Ohio (WKRC) — A rare black bear sighting has taken Wilmington by storm, captivating the community and sparking a wave of viral memes.

Kelsie Wasson, a local resident, encountered the unexpected visitor when she left work on Tuesday.

“At first I thought it might have been a dog,” Wasson said.

She captured video footage of the bear, which has been seen roaming the area in recent days.

“It was just kind of sniffing the ground, and then it kind of took off, and then it would stop again,” said Wasson.

Shelby Boatman from the Clinton County History Center noted that bear sightings in the area are uncommon.

“In ’09 and ’04 we had bear sightings in Clinton County, which is pretty rare, but five years apart, and the community was a little concerned,” Boatman said.

The bear’s likeness has been photoshopped into various local scenes, gaining traction on Wilmington’s social media pages. Boatman expressed hope that the bear’s presence might boost the local economy by drawing attention to small businesses.

“We’re a small community, like I mentioned, and shopping locally is crucial,” said Boatman.

The Wilmington Police Department has joined in on the fun, photoshopping the bear into a police car.

“It helps us in an aspect of just the community seeing us as more cops when we are people out there. It normalizes us as people, and it gives us an opportunity to just have fun with the community rather than see them on their worst day,” said Interim Police Chief William Foster.

The Clinton County History Center has also embraced the trend, with a Facebook post and a sign reading, “History’s wild—just ask the bear.”

“It’s been pretty funny, I will admit. I can’t believe it’s blown up or gone as viral as it has, but we’re a small community. Being able to kind of rally around this bear and this mascot of the community has been pretty fun,” said Boatman.

Wasson appreciates the lighthearted approach the community has taken with the bear.

“I think it’s pretty cool that we’re all kind of joking around about it and not being super serious, scared, and upset,” said Wasson.

While the bear’s origins and duration of stay remain unclear, black bears are considered endangered in Ohio due to past overhunting and habitat loss. However, sightings have been increasing since 1993 as the population begins to recover. Black bears are most active during breeding season, and while generally fearful of humans, they can become problematic if fed.

Lindsey Krusling from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources offered advice when dealing with bears.

“First, we always say, ‘Stay calm.’ You can slowly start to back away. If the bear does start to approach you, we always suggest, you know, waving your hands, making yourself look taller, and being really loud, clapping, yelling—that tends to scare them off.”

Residents are encouraged to report bear sightings on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ website. If you have a sighting to report, click here.