Some of our communities are seeing a good amount of wildlife outdoors, and we're not talking about a stray cat or dog.

People in the Capital Region have reported seeing bears in populated areas. The last one in the city of Albany heading into June.

The Onondaga County Sheriff's office also confirmed a bear sighting last month.

And while a lot of us aren't used to seeing bears, coyotes, and snakes, the Department of Environmental Conservation says it’s not abnormal.

"You always want to still be conscious and give the animals space when you see them, especially when you’re dealing with adults and their babies, they are certainly going to be much more protective,” DEC Wildlife Biologist Michael Clark said. “Their natural instinct is to run because they don’t want to be in close proximity to people and we want to keep it that way."

DEC officials say when there is physical contact with wild animals, local law enforcement and health agencies should be contacted immediately.

Officials say people should keep their dogs on leashes, keep garbage locked up, and be aware of their surroundings.

And one last tip, officials say if you see a coyote or a fox in a suburban backyard there is no reason to contact authorities, but if you see a bear or moose in a city--the DEC will want to hear about it.