Trail Cameras Installed in River Bend Park to Monitor Wildlife, Including Bears

Fairfax County’s Animal Services Division had personnel install trail cameras in several wooded areas throughout River Bend Park on Thursday in an effort to monitor wildlife activity, particularly visits by bears.

The cameras are part of a response to a dog that suffered severe injuries following an encounter will a wild animal earlier this week. That encounter is assumed to have been with a bear.

“There were numerous bear sightings reported on July 22, throughout the day. It is not clear whether these sightings are the same bear on multiple occasions nor whether this is the animal believed to have been involved in an altercation with the dog. There were no witnesses to the incident,” said Fairfax County Police in a news bulletin Thursday evening.

This week alone, one Patch reader in McLean captured a stray bear wandering into a McLean neighborhood on camera, and another spotted what are likely bear droppings on the Langley High School side of McLean.

Authorities are urging community members to report bear sightings to Animal Control and the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline. These reports will help gather accurate data on bears throughout Fairfax County.

Image credit: Fairfax County Police