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A 5-year-old family Rottweiler attacked and killed a black bear cub that has crossed onto the property of the homeowners in Jefferson Township, New Jersey. The fate of the dog is under investigation since it had already killed a neighbor's dog and was not supposed to be running loose. A couple of hours after the attack, the bear mother came and dragged the little bear's body back into the woods with her.

08-20-08 Bear and Cow Square Off Over Apples

A large black cow and a small black bear have negotiated territory with regards to an apple tree in a pasture in Hygiene, Colorado. Both wanted the prized apples. After staring at each other for a very long time, and it is reported that the two animals actually touched noses once, the bear backed down and left the apples to the cow, who eats them every day.

08-19-08 Details Released About GSMNP Bear Attack

The University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center released details that prove the bear the National Park Service Rangers killed is, in fact, the bear that attacked the little boy from Florida last week. When the bear grabbed his son, the father ran so hard he came out of his shoes to rescue the boy. The dead bear has been examined by the vets there and they have found pieces of the father's shoe in the stomach of the black bear.

08-14-08 Mama Bear Killed in Front of Cubs

An adult black bear was killed with multiple shotgun blasts in New Milford, Connecticut, when the man thought the bear may attack when she stood up on her hind legs. It was later discovered that the man had birdseed in his yard that probably attracted the bears. The cubs were taken for observation and released to the wild. We have received numerous emails about this today, and wish to let people know: it is not illegal to kill a bear in that state if someone feels threatened. People who live in bear territory may want to learn more about black bear behavior, from this website and others, so that when they meet a bear, they can make in informed decision about what to do. Bear education is key to dealing with bear encounters. It can keep you safe and a bear alive. If you should see a bear, please report it to the proper authorities so that bear experts can resolve the problem.

08-12-08 Black Bear Attacks Boy and Man in Smokies Park

A black bear has attacked a young boy playing in a creek this week near the trailhead to Rainbow Falls Trail off Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail. His father fended off the bear by grabbing the bear's face and prying his jaws off of his son. The bear ran off but returned to attack again. The bear was chased off with stones and yelling but did not retreat into the forest very far. The man and his two sons went for help. The boy's injuries are more serious than his father's, however they are not life-threatening. Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers from the National Park Service arrived and found the bear they believe to be the one that attacked the boy and his father. The bear was a sub-adult, a year and a half old, had the boy's cap and shoe near him, and was extremely aggressive toward the rangers. They shot and killed the bear. This bear did not attack because the boy had food - there was no food at the scene; and the bear was not harassed. When you are near a stream, remember that the noise of the stream muffles any noise of an approaching animal.

07-31-08 Bear Dead From People Garbage

A black bear in Frazee, Minnesota, got into some garbage this week, and got his head stuck in a 2.5 gallon clear plastic jug. The poor bear could not get the plastic jug off his head. He could breathe, but could not eat or drink. Minnesota DNR officials shot the bear, after trying to trap and/or tranquilize the bear for a few days. They said they could not get close enough to dart him and remove the jug.

07-28-08 Bears Love Berries!

It is summer and that means one thing: berries are ripening. If you are in bear territory please be aware that bears will be out looking for berries to eat at this time of year. Bears love all types of berries, blackberries, red raspberries, black raspberries, dewberries, soapberries, mulberries, buffalo berries, blueberries, strawberries, bilberries, huckleberries, serviceberries, etc. Parks Canada is restricting human access to large berry patches where bears frequent in the summer, in order to minimize the number of bears killed by cars and trucks this year, and also to decrease the level of risk of bear encounters with people. Bears love other types of fruits such as apples, peaches, pomegranates, cultivated cherries, wild cherries, grapes, figs, pears,

07-28-08 Black Bear Shot in Home Break In

A male black bear, nearly 400 pounds has been killed near Lake Tahoe. Someone's burglar alarm went off, and officials discovered evidence that a bear had broken through the front door. The alarm scared the bear away and he went down the street and broke into another house. It was there that the bear came at the officials, who shot him. It is believed that it was this bear that has been responsible for several home invasions in the area this year.

07-17-08 Black Bear Cub Rescued in Mexico

We have just learned that a black bear cub was rescued last month in Mexico, after its mother was startled and ran away. The cub was watched for some time, but the mother did not return. The cub was in the Saltillo Coahuila Mexico near its country border. Custody of the bear cub was given to Proteccion de la Fauna Mexicana A.C., a conservation organization. They will keep the cub in a secluded area in the mountains until it is old enough to be released back to the wild.

07-09-08 Bear Killed in National Park

A very aggressive 9-year-old female black bear was killed by wildlife officials in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The bear had torn into some plastic garbage bags, although no wrong-doing by the campers was found, with regards to food storage. The bear had however, learned about human foods in the campgrounds last summer, when she was hazed and received a tag in her ear. The bear was baited, trapped, and killed. Many people in the park were upset that the bear had to die; however, bears that show aggression toward people are usually stopped in a permanent way. Four bears were euthanized in that park last year. This is the first one in 2008.

07-07-08 Bear in Fargo

A black bear was spotted in Fargo. Officials darted the bear and removed him from the city, without incident.

07-06-08 Bear Rescued from Gulf of Mexico

A black bear was darted along a beachfront 40 miles south of Tallahassee near a residential area called Alligator Point, Apalachicola with the intent to relocate him to wilder terrain. The tranquilizer took longer to take effect than expected, and the bear did not fall down. In an attempt to escape, the bear lunged into the water in the Gulf of Mexico, heading out to sea. Wildlife biologist Adam Warwick saw the bear feeling the effects of the tranquilizer and falling backwards into the water. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer realized that the bear would drown, and ran out to rescue the bear. Dry, the bear weighed 375 pounds, wet, who knows how much. Mr. Warwick towed the large bear back to shore, keeping the bear afloat with his head out of the water. The bear has been returned to the Osceola National Forest near Lake City, Florida.

07-03-08 Second Bear Killed in Iowa

A black bear was raiding garbage cans in Freemont County and was shot by a wildlife officer. Black bears are not a protected species in Iowa and may be shot by citizens. There have been no resident bear populations in that state since the 1800's.

07-02-08 Ruston Sees a Bear

People in the city of Ruston, Louisiana were startled to see a black bear strolling through. After being watched by officials, the bear left town without incident. Louisiana Black Bears are protected in that state.

06-30-08 Bear Scratches Woman

A black bear was discovered eating sunflower seeds stored in an aluminum can on a back porch. The bear swatted at the 58-year-old woman when she opened the door to see what the noise was all about. Her injuries are minor. The bear ran off after returning a second time for seeds that night.

06-27-08 Georgia Bears on Highways

Four bears have been killed on highways north of Atlanta over the past month. Three were hit by cars in East Cobb County. The most recent one was in Cumming.

06-26-08 Bears or Rugs?

A black bear was shot by a farmer on his land in Iowa. He said the bear charged him on a trail, and he shot the bear. There is no law against shooting a bear in Iowa. We see by our black bear population map on this website http://www.covebear.com/BlackBearFactsAndResearch.htm that Iowa is one of the states that is colored black, which means they do not have any resident bears living there. The man said he will make a rug out of the bear. It has been speculated that the bear was probably traveling through and could possibly have come down from a northern state that has populations of bears, such as Minnesota or Wisconsin.

06-26-08 Bear is Knocking But He Can't Come In

A couple found a black bear sitting on their back porch at 6:45 in the morning, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The bear began knocking on the screen door with his big paw, but they did not let him in. He chewed on the screen a bit before moving on.

06-26-08 Woman Brings Pet Bear into Bar in Ohio

A woman who owns several exotic pets brought her pet black bear cub to the bar she owns. She also has horses, donkeys, deer, a fox, and four goats. She has a permit to own the animals, but now the Obetz city counsel has decided to ban exotic animals from public places. Pooh will have to stay home.

06-23-08 Recent Black Bear Sightings

June 23 - Williamsburg, KY - Adult bear spotted in city; officials kept an eye on him until he left and went back to the rural countryside.

June 21 - Augusta, GA - Large male bear in tree at boy scout camp darted by DNR; bear passed out on tree limb 70 feet up the tree; fire department came with extended ladder; bear was removed by DNR and driven to North Georgia wild area.

June 20 - Gallatin, MO - Sub-adult spotted traveling in new territory.

June 21 - Sabillasville, MD - Adult female bear hit by car and killed on route 550; DNR retrieved the bear; had to clear the area due to her mate, a large male bear, pacing nearby.

June 21 - Bentonville, AR - Bear seen ambling through residential neighborhood, went on his way.

June 20 - Pinehurst, NC - Bear spotted in neighborhood; may be been traveling from coast to mountains.

June 20 - Everett, Ontario, CAN - Black bear with cub spotted near Earl Rowe Park and residential area.

June 20 - Roswell, GA - Sub-adult bear spotted near Johnson Ferry Road near Atlanta, in East Cobb County, behind LA Fitness.

June 20 - Auburn, MA - Motorcyclist hits black bear as the bear was attempting to climb over a guardrail on Route 101; rider okay at hospital; bear wounded in woods, not found.

June 20 - Timberlee, Nova Scotia, CAN - Black bear unphased by loud noises and sirens patiently eats garbage out of a non-bear-proof canister in back yard; residents are advised to purchase bear-proof garbage cans.

June 19 - Durango, CO - Black bear shot and killed after it visited a house twice in the same night; the bear entered the home by opening a sliding glass door to eat dinner rolls in the kitchen.

June 18 - Rhinebeck, NY - Bear found sleeping in tree in backyard; wildlife officials woke up the bear and scared him back into the woods.

June 18 - Auburn, MA - Sub-adult bear shot and killed in traffic and residential area.

June 18 - Lusk, WY - Black bear seen walking through residential neighborhood; climbing and sitting on top of a light pole at a high school; bear darted and relocated to Laramie Peak in wilder areas.

June 18 - Knoxville, TN - 220-pound bear caught and relocated from the city back to the mountains nearby.

June 16 - Liberty, OH - An 80-pound sub-adult bear was seen traveling through the town; sub-adults at this time of year are on their own for the first time.

June 10 - Athens, TX - Bear reported in a pecan tree near a funeral home; darted, passed out in tree; fired department ladder was used to get bear down; relocated to Black Gap Wildlife Management Area.

June 10 - Leesburg, VA - A black bear cub was hit by a car on Dulles Greenway and had to be euthanized due to extensive injuries.

June 10 - Auburn, MA - Bear darted in residential area and relocated to wilder area in the central part of the state.

June 10 - Wakefield, RI - For the first time, Rhode Island, a state without black bears, has had a bear sighting; a sub-adult was spotted traveling through. He raided some bird feeders, but ran out back into the northern wilder areas quickly. Seeing this bear was very exciting there. they think that he may have been heading toward the coast but decided to return from whence he came when seeing all those people with cameras.

06-17-08 Michigan Wildlife Experts Present Bear Info

Michigan Department of Natural Resources, in a positive effort to help educate people and help local law enforcement deal with black bears, made a bear presentation on June 4 to member of State Police, local Sheriff's Department, and Police Department at the Binder Park Zoo. Black bear range in Michigan has changed over the past few years, and now black bears are moving south into new areas. This has caused some problems with human-bear encounters and interaction. MDNR wants everyone to know how to avoid allowing black bears to be a nuisance.

06-14-08 Charging Black Bear Killed

A black bear in the Yukon River village of Galena, in Alaska, charged a man and his dog, and then a girl. The dog charged the bear, the girl ran away, and the man shot the bear dead. The bear reportedly had tried to break into houses nearby before this incident. There are less than 700 people living in this town. The Innoko National Wildlife Refuge is located southwest of Galena.

06-02-08 Fatal Black Bear Attack

A black bear attacked and killed a 70-year-old grandmother, in a wilderness area of northern Quebec. Her husband went searching for her on the banks of the Theo River where the couple often went fishing. He saw the black bear dragging her body into the forest. He chased the bear away, but found he could not carry his wife back to the road. He had to run for help. The bear has not been found.

06-02-08 Cubs Released to the Wild

The Wildlife Center of West Virginia has released two cubs early, back to the forest after rehabbing them. The two female bears were admitted with mite infestations, muscle atrophy, and they were starving. Officials feel that they have recovered sufficiently to be released together and will be alright. They weigh 35 and 44 pounds and are now healthy. The will be monitored through the use of radio transmitters to see where they go, and if they stay together.

05-27-08 Critical Habitat Proposed in Louisiana in 2008

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed designating 1.3 million acres from the northeast corner of Louisiana down to the Atchafalaya Basin as critical habitat for the Louisiana Black Bear. Designating land as critical habitat by FWS, a Federal agency, would create an opportunity for those acres to be linked to projects under Federal review. The Black Bear Conservation Committee members, as well as private landowners, oppose the designation, saying that most of this land is private and has successfully managed for bears for several years with much success. If private lands are designated as critical habitat by a Federal agency, those landowners may lose the right to decide what activities take place on their land, including permission to lay pipelines, drill for natural resources on their land, enter and alter or in any way change a wetland area, or dredge land for any reason. Private landowners have voluntarily restored nearly a million acres in bear habitat since 1992. Many feel that designating private land as federally protected habitat will encroach on landowners rights to use their land, within reason, as they see fit. The definition of "critical habitat" is geographic areas that "contain habitat features essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species" under the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The impact to private lands, as mentioned above, could be to curtail development in those protected areas. Under current law, under the Endangered Species Act, the habitat must have been designated at the time the bear was listed in 1992, in order for lands to fall under Federal supervision, and this did not happen. The state of Louisiana and its private landowners has handled land usage and protected bear habitat since the bear was listed there. Listing this bear under the Endangered Species Act did make it a Federal offense to kill these bears, which many feel was a good thing. In 2003 all listings for critical habitats under the ESA were suspended due to a lack of funding at the Federal level. Read about the details at http://www.bbcc.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=240&Itemid=63 and see the FWS press release below:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Critical Habitat for the Louisiana Black Bear

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2008

Contacts:
David Soileau, 337-291-3109
Deborah Fuller, 337-291-3124
Tom R. MacKenzie (404) 679-7291, tom_mackenzie@fws.gov

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today published a proposed rule to designate approximately 1,330,000 acres of land in 15 Louisiana Parishes (Avoyelles, East Carroll, Catahoula, Concordia, Franklin, Iberia, Iberville, Madison, Pointe Coupee, Richland, St. Martin, St. Mary, Tensas, West Carroll, and West Feliciana) as critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the threatened Louisiana black bear.

With the announcement of this proposed rule, the Service praised the work of its many partners in black bear conservation. With the help of its partners, such as the Black Bear Conservation Committee, state agencies in Mississippi and Louisiana, other federal agencies, the Louisiana Forestry Association, and private citizens, the Service estimates that about 600,000 acres of land have been restored or protected in the bear’s range since it was listed in January 1992. This includes lands that have been purchased by state and federal agencies and public and private lands protected from development as well as privately owned lands where bear habitat has been restored. Bear numbers also appear to be increasing. In 1997, the statewide Louisiana black bear population was estimated to range from 200 to 400 bears. Studies to obtain reliable current population estimates are underway but it is generally believed that the current population numbers range from 400 to 700 bears.

“We have made great strides in Louisiana black bear conservation since listing because of the strong support of federal, state, private organizations, and private landowners,” said Sam D. Hamilton, Southeast Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We are optimistic that those highly valued partnerships will enable us all to continue making great strides in the conservation of the Louisiana black bear.”

Areas proposed as critical habitat for the Louisiana black bear include bottomland and upland hardwood forests and adjacent vegetated areas having a diversity of plant species and age-classes of sufficient area, quality and configuration to meet the home range needs of reproductive female Louisiana black bears throughout the year or that provide areas for Louisiana black bear dispersal between populations. Those areas are contained within three critical habitat units located in the Tensas River and Upper and Lower Atchafalaya River Basins of the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley in Louisiana.

Critical habitat is a term defined in the ESA that identifies geographic areas containing features that are essential to the conservation of a threatened or endangered species, and which may require special management considerations or protection. Designation of critical habitat does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge or preserve, and only applies to situations where federal funding or a federal permit is involved.

Normal forest management activities as currently conducted will not be affected by a Louisiana black bear critical habitat designation. The habitat needs of the Louisiana black bear are compatible with normal forest management activities and were exempted from the “take” provisions under the ESA when the species was listed in 1992 and included a provision protecting den and candidate den trees. There is no evidence to support changing that rule.

This proposed rule was prepared pursuant to a court order resulting from a lawsuit filed against the Service by Harold Schoeffler and Louisiana Crawfish Producers-West.

The Service is evaluating and requesting public comment on whether privately-owned lands enrolled under USDA Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) permanent easements provide sufficient protection and management to satisfy the criteria necessary for exclusion from critical habitat. Currently, about approximately 53,487 acres of marginal agricultural land are known to be under a WRP permanent easement.

Written comments on this proposed rule will be accepted for the next 60 days and must be received or postmarked on or before July 7, 2008. A copy of this proposed rule is available at http://www.regulations.gov or http://www.fws.gov/policy/frsystem/default.cfm.

Written comments on the proposal should be submitted by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: #1018-AV52; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.

E-mails or faxes will not be accepted. All comments will be posted on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that any personal information provided will be posted. Written requests for a public hearing will be accepted for 45 days after publication in the Federal Register until June 20, 2008. To request a public hearing, please use the Federal eRulemaking portal or write to the address listed above

The Service is preparing a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical habitat that will be released for public review and comment at a later date.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit: http://www.fws.gov/southeast.

Index Map of Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat	Unit 1, Tensas River Basin Map of Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat
Unit 2, Upper Atchafalaya River Basin Map of Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat	Unit 3, Lower Atchafalaya Basin Map of Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat

05-25-08 Huge Black Bear Killed

A black bear weighing over 500 pounds was killed after continually eating livestock near Reno, Nevada. The bear had been going after sheep and goats, and was too close to people. A bear like this could not be relocated, because no matter where he is, he would continue to go after livestock, and be too close to people. His behavior would not change. For that reason, the decision was made to shoot the bear. Nevada has about 300 black bears, most of them in the Tahoe Basin area.

05-22-08 Black Bears Find a Home

In an unusual situation, two wild black bears find a home in a zoo. Stone Zoo in Massachusetts has taken in two bears that had been brought to Appalachian Bear Rescue months ago. When it was determined that, due to a number of factors, these two bears could not be released to the wild, this posed quite a dilemma to ABR, who routinely cares for bears then puts them back in the forest. Lisa Stewart did find them a home at Stone Zoo in Stoneham, who has spent a lot of time creating the perfect bear natural habitat for the brothers. People can view the bears on Memorial Day weekend. Nicknamed Smokey and Bubba, the personalities of these bears have already been noticed by zoo staff, as one bear routinely takes the lead with the other, quieter, bear. Lisa's hope was that these two bears go to a new home together, as they have been inseparable since they were discovered without a mother. They have a strong emotional bond to each other, and so it is a wonderful thing that this zoo could keep them together. Read about these bears at http://www.wickedlocal.com/stoneham/fun/entertainment/x1946829102/Stone-Zoo-welcomes-new-black-bear-brothers#pool-rules and send a donation to both Appalachian Bear Rescue for their work in caring for these orphans for so long, and to Stone Zoo for agreeing to give them a permanent home. At the zoo's website, you can learn how to donate cash or items - check out their wish list. They need things like non-perishable food items (specific list provided), camcorders, computers, lawnmowers, and more. The money you donate can go toward animal enrichment, which is providing the animals toys and activities to keep them active and interested. This zoo, as well as Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, is operated by Zoo New England www.zoonewengland.org a private non-profit organization. Visit Stone Zoo at www.stonezoo.org. $5.00 of every $55 membership goes directly to support conservation efforts on the ground in wild places.

05-19-08 Black Bear Fatally Shot Inside House

People came back to their home on Village Scenic Parkway, a dirt road near Chugach State Park in Alaska, to find a very aggressive black bear destroying the rooms. Someone grabbed a rifle and put an end to it. Wildlife officials were called and took the dead bear away. The damage was extensive. The bear had broken into the house through the door, had pulled the refrigerator away from the wall, and had opened a freezer to get food. He had also opened cabinets, pulled out drawers, torn furniture. An hour later, another black bear was on their next door neighbor's porch.

05-19-08 Notes about Black Bears

FEEDING BEARS: Bear experts remind people that the saying "A fed bear is a dead bear" still applies. When people leave food outside, it may attract a bear. The bear will then search for more food, and he will become a nuisance. People who live in bear territory should not put bird seed and other food out for animals.

STANDING BEARS: Many people think that if a bear stands up on its hind legs that it is an aggressive posture. Bear experts say that bears often stand up to get a better sniff or a closer look around, and it does not necessarily mean the bear is being aggressive.

STRENGTH OF BEARS: Bears are unbelievably strong, especially in upper body areas. We have seen what a captive zoo bear can do with its arms / paws when that bear has never had a climbing tree to develop those muscles. A wild bear, who climbs trees every day of its life, has an incredibly powerful upper body. Bear experts say that he can swat with one paw and knock a person off his feet, he can easily break a window, and he can pull a locked door off of a car.

UNDERSTANDING BEARS: Bear experts remind us that anyone who lives in a state that has populations of bears should become acquainted with bear facts, just in case they see a bear, or they inadvertently attract a bear. Bear may roam hundreds of miles in search of new territories and in search of food. If there are bears living 300 miles away from your back yard, you may still want to practice good habits, such as not leaving food outside, and securing your garbage. Campers should know how to stow their food packs and observe safety rules at their campsites. Hikers should know what to do if they meet a bear on the trail.

BEAR EDUCATION: Learning about bears is our best defense against the possibility of a bad encounter with a bear. Wild animals do not read signs and they do not understand that it is okay for them to be over here in these woods and not okay to be over there in your yard; they do not understand that your garbage was not put there for them. The more we understand about bears, the more we will know what to do when we see one. Taking a little time to learn about bear behavior may save your life or a bear's life.

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05-17-08 Wyoming Woman Startled by a Standing Bear

A Wyoming resident on Casper Mountain saw a black bear stand up on its hind legs on her patio and was very surprised to see him there. He ran away after a moment. The next day, the resident drove into her driveway, and the bear jumped up on the car and peered in at her, scratching the hood with his claws. He left that residence and ran over to other houses, where he broke out a window in a house by hitting it with his paw, broke out the window of a truck, and damaged a car door. Nearby neighbors were blamed for attracting the bear by having put out food for other animals, in particular, bird seed, fruits and vegetables, and cracked corn. This bear was captured and relocated 60 miles from the area, with the hopes that he will not return. If this bear does return to the area as a nuisance, he will be killed.

05-16-08 Yucca Bear

A young bear has been seen at night, going through garbage cans in Yucca Valley, California. He has not been caught; however, the local Animal Control officers have contacted dozens of families about the bear, and have handed out information about black bears and how to not attract them to your yard. Education continues to be key in managing black bears in residential areas.

05-16-08 Police Officer Kills Standing Bear

A police officer in Battle Creek, Michigan's north side, killed a black bear by shooting the bear four times, then running into it with his police car, then shooting the treed bear one final time. The officer said that he was startled to see a bear at 1 in the morning, and when the bear stood up on its hind legs in the middle of the street, he became alarmed. Department of Natural Resources arrived after the bear was dead. Bears are usually seen more in the Upper Peninsula.

05-13-08 Woman Attacked by Black Bear

A woman and her dog were bitten by a black bear that they surprised in her back yard. The bear was most likely after sunflower seeds in the birdfeeder. Her home is in Lycoming County in Pennsylvania. The dog was severely wounded and had to be put to sleep; the woman has received medical attention for her wounds and is fine.

05-06-08 Bear Breaks Paw

A 300-pound black bear broke his paw when the branch he was sleeping on snapped, and the bear fell into a lake. Wildlife officials were on the scene. The paw was treated and the bear will make a good recovery. He has already been released in the Ocala National Forest. Bears do fall out of trees, in case you were wondering.

05-01-08 Birth Control As Possible Answer to Garbage Bear Problems

One bear and what to do with her in British Columbia is stirring up quite a controversy. The adult female bear poses no problem until she has cubs. When she has cubs she brings them to town to rummage around for people food in garbage, crossing busy highways. While most of Whistler complies with bear-proof containers for garbage, many tourists and others do not, and scraps left out by picnickers and others cause a problem. Some are proposing to give this one bear birth control as an experimental solution to her particular problem. Bear expert Sylvia Dolson (Get Bear Smart Society) says that this could be a good solution to keeping this bear out of town and also save her live on the busy roads, since she comes looking for food in town only when she has cubs accompanying her. Many people oppose this idea, for the reason that it is felt that the behavior they need to change in Whistler is not the bear's behavior, but the people's behavior. Many feel that if the garbage were not there in the first place, the bears would no longer come to an easy food source. They suggest that the responsibility for changing wild bear's behavior as garbage bears is for people to get rid of the garbage that attracts them. The birth control would be in a shot. It is not known what the outcome to the bear would be.

04-10-08 Bear Shot with Arrow

A black bear sub-adult was killed near Springfield, Massachusetts this week. The bear was spotted in someone's back yard. The resident went in the house, got a bow and arrow, and shot the bear with it. By the time officials arrived, they had a wounded bear running around the woods behind the house, and a bad situation to deal with. They found the bear and put it out of its misery. The man was charged with hunting out of season and shooting a weapon in a residential area.

04-09-08 People Are Reminded to Deter Spring Bears

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reminds people to please not put bird feeders out where they live in bear country, since sunflower seeds are a powerful draw for bears. They urge people to remember that if they are moving into a bear's habitat, they must remember that bear behavior is natural and, for the most part, predictable: bears will go after easy food such as garbage whenever they can. Bear-proof containers are a good investment.

04-08-08 Virginia Bear Population is Healthy

It has been reported that there are now black bears in every county in Virginia. Officials there would like for people to remember that whey they move into black bear country they should not encourage bears to come in close by leaving food outside. A bear's sense of smell is keen and they can hone in on garbage from a long distance away.

04-07-08 Bears are Waking Up in our Northern States

Black bears in Minnesota are now coming out of their winter dens, some with cubs. They will eat mostly plants in the early spring, then proceed into grubs, insects, and small animals later. In the summer, they will look for fruits, and in the fall they will eat nuts. Bears in Minnesota, as in other states, live to eat. Homeowners are now being urged to prepare for bears traveling through their areas, as sub-adults will be leaving their mothers for the first time in a couple of months, and will be out there wandering around looking for their own territories.

04-05-08 Black Bear Festival Moves to Spring

The annual Black Bear Festival at Umatilla, Florida, will be held on April 12 in the city park. If you are in the area, please attend and learn all about black bears, eat some good food, and shop for bear-related artwork and items.

04-03-08 Back Yard Bear

A black bear was spotted in someone's yard in Redding, California. The bear was sedated and relocated quickly. The bear was reported to be docile, several years old, only 175 pounds, and not a threat.

04-02-08 Black Bear Chase

A black bear led officials on a chase through two cities, Alcoa and Maryville, in Tennessee, after being spotted near a McDonald's. Claw marks were later found on the restaurant's garbage dumpster. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reported it was not so much a chase as a cruising, as the bear seemed to be just traveling along and not really concerned. Hours later, the bear was finally shot with a tranquilizer dart and relocated to a more remote area.

04-01-08 Maryland Bear Stamp Painting Chosen

Fifteen artists competed in the 2008-2009 Maryland Black Bear Stamp Contest. The winner was Ontario artist, David Yarema, a self-taught painter, who has won other stamp contests such as 2006 Saskatchewan Conservation Stamp and 2006 Nevada Trout Stamp, among others. Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges folks to submit their original artwork once a year for their hunting stamp. Proceeds from the sale of their black bear stamp each year go to compensate farmers for damage caused by bears, such as loss of fruit, crops, animals, and beehives. The painting is entitled, "Family Day."

03-31-08 Spring Black Bear Hunting Season Opens

Hunters in Oregon have their first bear hunting day today. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife says that hunters must report their kills - until now that was voluntarily. The ODFW estimates that there are 25,000 to 30,000 black bears in their state; harvest numbers average 1,500 per year. Failure to comply with bear hunting regulations could result in cancellation of hunting privileges and a $6,250 fine.

03-18-08 Black Bears Moved in Louisiana

Bear officials and researchers from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the University of Tennessee have moved some black bears out of the Tensas National Wildlife Refuge so that they can take up residence in other wild areas. These bears are moved when there are babies in the den, so that the adult bear will stay in her new home. Bears are sometimes put into swampy environs in the top of hollowed out trees, so that they can help to build Louisiana's bear population again. These activities are conceived and implemented by the Black Bear Conservation Committee, a high effective non-profit organization that works with the forest industry, companies, landowners, and lawmakers to ensure that the black bear can once again call Louisiana home. It is thought that black bears in that state now number around 500. Maria Davidson of LDWF http://www.wlf.state.la.us/ says that these females will establish new home bases more easily than adult males, because they have their babies with them. Read also about the work of Paul Davidson, Executive Director, and David Telesco, Biologist at www.bbcc.org when you can. Their website provides a lot of information about black bears in the South.

03-04-08 Baby Bear Dies After Being Stolen From Mother

A baby black bear was taken from the woods by someone, after its mother was scared away. The people who took the baby tried to keep it in their home, and tried unsuccessfully to feed it with a baby bottle. The cub then became ill. When they saw that he was dying, the people took the baby bear, wrapped him in a towel, and placed him under a bridge near the Atchafalaya River in south Louisiana. They called Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to report that the cub should be picked up there. Maria Davidson, their bear biologist, rescued the cub. Attempts to keep the cub alive failed. It was determined that the baby bear died from having no food or water. It is not known who the people were, as they had their caller i.d. blocked on the phone call. The cub had been taken from its nest in the woods. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries urges people to leave wild animals alone and to never pick up babies. If you see a baby animal and, if after a couple of days, the baby is still alone, you can report it to the proper officials, so that they can watch and see if the mother comes back or if the baby needs to be rescued. It is nearly impossible to keep a baby bear alive in your home. He needs bear milk and chances are, you don't have that.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: 2007 BLACK BEAR RESCUE FROM BRIDGE

09-28-07 DRAMATIC RESCUE OF BEAR ON BRIDGE

A black bear was startled by some cars while crossing a bridge, and wound up trapped under the span for hours until he was rescued with a large net. It was the Rainbow Bridge near Truckee, California. The bear had jumped over the side to escape the car, and had grabbed onto the cement siding with his paws, as he was going down. There are claw marks in the cement where he had been holding on. Eventually, he dragged himself up into a crevice under the bridge. Every half hour or so, the large cinnamon brown bear would come out of the arch and peer over the edge, but the adult bear could not figure out how to get out from under the roadway. Animal control officers checked on the bear the next morning, and he was still there. They decided they had to do something, because the bear could not get down. They purchased a large nylon net from an army surplus store in Reno, Nevada, a half hour away, and volunteers who were rock climbers and tree climbers helped position the net below the bear, using pulleys and ropes. The road was closed to traffic. The bear was darted with a tranquilizer. The animal control officer who darted the bear waited for the bear to get groggy, then climbed down to him, and rolled him into the net. The bear weighed about 250 pounds. The bear was lowered to the ground, where he regained alertness and walked away. Robert Brooks was the animal control officer who saved the bear, with the help of a dozen volunteers. Dan Olson, with Truckee Animal Control, took these pictures.