ATLANTA — Spring is in the air and that means in addition to pollen, we’re about to see more of Georgia’s native wildlife.
According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, that means black bears are waking from hibernation.
“As expected, bears are going to be hungry when they emerge from their wintering locations, and that means getting easy-to-obtain food as soon as possible,” Adam Hammond, Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) State Bear Biologist, said. “Don’t let your home become a bear buffet! Become familiar with the BearWise Basics to help keep bears away from homes and businesses, creating a healthier and safer living situation for everyone.”
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The black bear, called a symbol of the state’s natural diversity, is the only type of bear in Georgia, according to DNR. The department calls it a conservation success story.
While it is currently the most common species of bear on the continent of North America, it wasn’t always thriving the way it is now.
“The species was nearly eradicated from Georgia in the 1930s due to unregulated hunting, illegal harves and large-scale habitat loss,” DNR said.
“Bears that have access to human-provided foods often become dependent upon people, leading to destructive behavior and may lead to the bear’s demise,” Hammond said. “Ensuring your home and community are free of bear attractants, like pet food and bird seed, helps keep bears from remaining in the area and avoiding this cycle.”
Now, the black bear population has been restored, with about 4,100 bears believed to live in the state.
Here are the “at-home BearWise Basics” for handling Black bears waking from hibernation and looking for food:
- NEVER FEED OR APPROACH BEARS: Feeding bears (intentionally or unintentionally) trains them to approach homes and people for more food. Bears will defend themselves if a person gets too close, so don’t risk your safety and theirs!
- SECURE FOOD, GARBAGE AND RECYCLING: Food and food odors attract bears so don’t reward them with easily available food or garbage.
- REMOVE BIRD FEEDERS WHEN BEARS ARE ACTIVE: Birdseed and other grains have a high calorie content making them very attractive to bears. The best way to avoid conflicts with bears is to remove feeders during active bear sightings.
- NEVER LEAVE PET FOOD OUTDOORS: Feed outdoor pets portion sizes that will be completely eaten during each meal and then remove leftover food and food bowl. Securely store these foods so nothing is available to bears.
- CLEAN AND STORE GRILLS: After you use an outdoor grill, clean it thoroughly and make sure that all grease and fat is removed. Store cleaned grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.
- ALERT NEIGHBORS TO BEAR ACTIVITY: Share news with your friends and neighbors about recent bear activity and how to avoid bear conflicts. Bears have adapted to living near people; are you willing to adapt to living near bears?
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