MANISTEE COUNTY — With the arrival of warmer temperatures, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources advises northern Michigan residents to be aware of black bears coming out of their hibernation-like state in coming weeks.
“Black bears have a big appetite, an excellent sense of smell and the ability to remember a food source year after year,” read a DNR press release.
Black bears typically leave their dens between late March into early April, but will sometimes venture out during winter.
“With milder, shorter winters and with lingering food sources like unharvested corn, bears may delay denning and even make monthly forays for a snack,” said Steve Griffith, DNR Wildlife Habitat Biologist in a prior interview.
Bears are lethargic upon emerging in spring, but as their metabolism kicks in they begin looking for food.
The bears, having expended much of their stored up fat over the winter will be in search of early spring growth like skunk cabbage, various grasses and ferns. The hungry omnivores won’t turn down human food and trash, however, especially when their normal diet is in low supply.
“This is the time of the year where natural food likely is scarce, that bird feeders and other anthropogenic food sources can be very attractive to otherwise shy bears,” Griffith had said.
Bears are normally wary of people, but if one finds food without getting frightened away, it may come back for more.
Each time this happens, the bear can become less fearful — and this habituation can lead to problems. Bears that lose their fear of people are called “nuisance bears.”
These are most often young adult males that have left their mothers and are learning how to obtain food, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Nuisance bears are often killed or trapped and moved far away, but most of the time this could be avoided with simple precautions.
To avoid potential conflicts with bears, DNR officials recommend any potential food sources that could attract the opportunistic omnivore.
The DNR advises that “it is safer for both bears and people to keep wildlife at a distance,” and warns that bird feeders can “attract more than songbirds during the spring summer and fall months.”
By removing them, the homeowners can reduce the risk of “attacking bears or other curious wildlife to your property,” the DNR press release reads.
Help your community reduce bear conflicts by following these simple steps from the DNR:
• Remove potential food sources, like bird feeders, from your yard;
• Keep pet food inside or in a secured area;
• Keep garbage and odor at a minimum by removing trash often, storing trash in a secured area and cleaning the container with disinfectant;
• Keep grills and picnic tables clean; and
• Protect apiaries (bee hives), fruit trees and gardens from bears with electric fencing.
Wildlife officials also caution against feeding bears because it risks habituating the animals with people.
“Bears that seek human food have not forgotten how to forage naturally. Sadly, bears that obtain human food may lose their natural fear of humans,” reads a National Parks Service news release.
BLACK BEAR ENCOUNTER
If you do encounter a black bear, remain calm and remember that the bear is likely more afraid of you, than you are of it.
Violent encounters with bears are incredibly rare and most black bears can be easily scared away with the following approach from the Humane Society:
• Stand and face the bear directly. Never run away from or approach it;
• Make yourself look as big as possible by spreading your arms or, better yet, a coat;
• Make as much noise as possible by yelling, banging pots and pans or using other noisemaking devices;
• If the bear approaches and you have bear spray, spray the bear as it approaches;
• In the very rare case that a black bear does attack you, fight back. Do not run away or attempt to climb a tree;
• After the bear leaves, remove whatever attracted it to the location (barbecue grill, bird feeder, pet food or garbage).
MORE RESOURCES
• More about black bears in Michigan can be found at the DNR’s website and at this SMART brochure.
• Watch the Bear Essentials video for more tips on how to avoid conflict with black bears.
• More information on how to handle interactions with wildlife are available at Michigan.gov/Wildlife.
• The Get Bear Smart Society’s tips for nonlethal resolution of human-bear conflicts
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March 24, 2021 at 12:12PM
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How to avoid trouble with black bears this spring - Manistee News Advocate
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