April 5, 2023
Be bear aware
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Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1 CLASSIFIEDS AND HOME & GARDEN. Pg. F-2 /F-3 Photo provided by Missouri Department of Conservation While a natural and exciting part of Missouri’s woods, black bears do not make good dinner guests. The Missouri Department of Conservation recommends taking steps to avoid tempting them with human food, especially in areas where bears have been sighted.
Black bear sightings rise in the spring and the Missouri Department of Conservation offers tips on how to stay safe around our fuzzy neighbors By Brett Auten It sounds harsh, but a fed bear is a dead bear. That is the word that the Missouri Department of Conservation is wanting to get out as temperatures start to warm. Intentional or unintentional, it doesn’t matter. Feeding bears is dangerous because it makes them cozier around humans. It can also lead bears to cause damage to property while searching for a meal. There are roughly 900 black bears in the state, granted most of them reside in the southern region. But they are always on the move, and so are we, hiking, camping, and exploring all the wonderful nature the Show-
Me State has to offer. You can live in a condo in St. Peters, but find yourself camping in Rolla, and the rules are a little different. As these magnificent mammals leave their winter dens in search of food, the population is expanding, both in total numbers and range. As the population grows and expands, bears are showing up in areas further north. Additionally, late spring/ early summer is prime time for bears to be on the move. Young bears begin to wander seeking food and an area to settle and adult males begin moving large distances in search of females. Missouri Department of Conservation biologist Nate Bowersock has his black belt in being “bear aware.” He said, whether home or away, it is im-
portant that people remove or secure bear attractants from their property, such as bird feeders, trash, barbeque grills, pet food and food waste. “As black bears become active in spring, they are on the search for food,” Bowersock said. “Keeping areas free of attractants to allow bears to find natural foods on their own is in everyone’s best interest. If you see a bear, leave the animal alone and enjoy the sighting, but be sure to not offer it any food.” Food is usually a bear’s main motivator, but that also means it can be a main source of conflict. It takes a lot of calories to fuel an animal that typically weighs several hundred See ’AWARE’ page 2
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