Problems with big black bears and ornery grizzly bears used to be the unique concern of hikers, campers and anyone whose work took them into the wild for any reason.
That use to be the only way that humans and bears were able to come into contact, opening the door for less than pleasant interactions.
Unfortunately, a combination of environmental and population
issues has closed that gap, making bears a real threat
even in suburban neighborhoods.
In the last few decades, many factors have made bears a nuisance to humans and increased the threat to property and people.
In fact, the problem bear has become such a big issue that a whole slew of products are now available that can help you to avoid or prevent intrusion by bears onto your property.
So what’s behind this increase in bear problems?
Quite simply, it’s just normal bear behavior.
A bear has two main goals in life: to eat and to procreate.
In every case, when a bear comes in contact with humans it is only performing the natural habit of searching for food.
Where humans are present, there also tends to be human food and that food is what attracts them into our space.
And over time bears become conditioned to human foods.
While nature is behind the animals’ actions, it’s our own use of the environment that has elevated the situation to a bear attack or at the very least to become a nuisance bear..
We have encroached on their natural habitat and diminished their own food sources through environmental changes and they have to look elsewhere to find food.
With us taking over so much of the living space, that literally leads the bear population directly to our backyards and the result is bear damage.
Bear management isn’t the issue but people management is.
Do you prevent or control bear damage?
There are several steps you can take to address bear problems and reduce the likelihood of attack or damage.
What can be done?
Simple, educate yourself about the habits and behavior of these animals can help you to know how to react should you come in contact with one.
They’ll generally display certain behaviors, like snorting or pawing the ground before attacking, so recognizing these signs can help you to avoid a bear attack.
Since it’s food smells that usually attract them, properly containing food and disposing of food waste can greatly reduce your likelihood of encountering bears.
Don’t leave open pet food or birdseed (even bird feeders count) outside your home; make sure to thoroughly clean your barbecue grill after every use and store garbage in clean, secure containers to deter bear damage.
How do we prevent nuisance bear problems?
Ammonia or bleach can be used to clean grills or garbage cans, as this is a major deterrent to bears.
Also, avoid leaving trash bags containing dirty diapers sitting outside your house, this is one of the most attractive smells for them.
Don’t create nuisance bear situations… Prevent them.
Bear problems can be avoided much easier than you might think; it’s just a matter of taking a few precautions and not panicking if you should encounter one.
Of course, actively feeding bears is also a bad idea (it’s also illegal to intentionally feed bears). It simply serves to make them more accustomed to humans and less reluctant to intrude on our space.
You need to form a decent respect for these animals, you need to understand bear behavior and make sure you keep all food or food scraps carefully contained.
With the right approach, bears and humans can learn to share their environment peacefully and safely.