MDC reminds individuals to be BearWise about black bears

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – With fall right here and as winter nears, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds folks that Missouri’s estimated 1,000+ black bears are centered on fattening up and might spend as much as 20 hours a day foraging for meals. This can result in conflicts between bears and folks, pets, and property. MDC reminds Missourians to be BearWise.

MDC Furbearer Biologist Nate Bowersock stated it will be important that individuals take away or safe bear attractants from their property, corresponding to hen feeders, trash, barbeque grills, pet meals, and meals waste. 

“Black bears are super-focused on finding food in the fall,” stated Bowersock. “The quest for calories keeps bears active and foraging up to 20 hours a day. When the eating is good, a bear can put on two to three pounds a day. By hibernation time, many bears will have added about four inches of fat and gained between 20% and 50% of their summer body weight.”

This annual feeding frenzy known as “hyperphagia” and is pushed by bears’ ticking organic clocks counting all the way down to hibernation, when most bears in colder climates retire for the winter and reside off the fats they’re working so laborious now to build up. 

Keeping areas freed from meals attractants and letting bears discover pure meals is in everybody’s finest curiosity. “If you see a bear, let the animal be and enjoy the sighting, but be sure to not offer it any food,” he stated.

Bowersock added that deliberately feeding bears might be harmful as a result of it makes them snug round individuals and might lead bears to trigger vital harm to property whereas trying to find meals.

“When bears lose their fear of humans, they could approach people in search of food or may become defensive of the food sources they find near people, which could lead to conflict,” Bowersock stated. “When this happens, the bear cannot be relocated and has to be destroyed. A fed bear is a dead bear.”

MDC provides the next tricks to keep away from attracting black bears to potential meals sources:

• Store rubbish, recyclables, and compost inside safe buildings or in bear-proof containers.
• Keep grills and people who smoke clear and retailer them inside.
• Don’t depart pet meals exterior. Feed pets every meal and take away the empty containers.
• Refrain from utilizing birdfeeders in bear nation from April via November. If in use, cling them at the least 10 toes excessive and 4 toes away from any construction. Keep in thoughts that even when a bear can not get to the birdseed, the scent may nonetheless appeal to it to the world.
• Use electrical fencing to maintain bears away from beehives, hen coops, vegetable gardens, orchards, and different potential meals sources.
• Keep campsites clear and retailer all meals, toiletries and trash in a safe car or strung excessive between two timber. Do not hold meals or toiletries in a tent, and don’t burn or bury rubbish or meals waste.

Black bears are usually a shy, non-aggressive species. Follow the following tips when open air in bear nation to keep away from undesirable encounters:

• Make noise, corresponding to clapping, singing or speaking loudly, whereas mountain climbing to forestall stunning a bear.
• Travel in a gaggle if potential.
• Keep canines leashed.
• Be conscious of the environment. If there’s proof of a bear, corresponding to tracks or scat, keep away from the world.
• Leave bears alone! Do not strategy them, and ensure they’ve an escape route.

For extra info on the way to be BearWise and to report a bear sighting, go to mdc.mo.gov/bearwise.