As spring nears so does the return of hungry bears around northern Nevada
The days are beginning to lengthen and while winter isn't quite done yet, the beginning of spring bulbs have already begun to poke their heads up in anticipation of the change of seasons. While longer days will lead us into Spring, it also leads us into bear season.
Nevada Department of Wildlife's Ashley Sanchez sat down to answer some important questions about our neighboring bears, how to keep them safe, and how to keep them out of our trash cans.
First and foremost, the most important aspect of keeping both humans and wildlife safe is to keeping them wild, which means securing garbage and never, ever feeding them.
“Never feed bears or any other wildlife. Feeding wildlife causes them to lose their natural fear of humans. When they become human-habituated, they start to rely on human food sources, bringing wildlife into neighborhoods, and increasing the chance of human-bear encounters,” said Sanchez. “I can’t say it enough; Living in bear country is a year-round responsibility. Ensuring Nevada bears live in their natural, wild habitat is not something NDOW can do on its own. We need the community to play a part in keeping Nevada bears wild by being responsible with food and trash, and insisting your friends or neighbors do the same.”
KP: As the days are getting longer and we head into Spring, what should residents be aware of as far as when the bears will begin coming around and how to practice good bear safety?
AS: Living in bear country is a year-round responsibility! It is important to practice good bear safety not only in the spring and warmer months, but all year long. Don’t wait until it’s too late: remove attractants before bears leave their dens in the spring, and the chance of a human-bear encounter is higher.
Bears have an extremely sensitive nose, which can easily pick up the smell of attractants, including garbage, bird feeders, fruit trees, livestock and other food sources that lead bears into our neighborhoods. By allowing a bear access to your trash, even just once, you are rewarding that behavior and it will revisit your home. When this happens, a bear may become human-habituated and human-food conditioned, which often leads them into conflict with people. Living in bear country is unique and requires residents to take extra precautions. Remember, NDOW is here as the state’s wildlife expert. Residents can call us at (775) 688-BEAR to find out about any bear activity in their area and to learn about precautions they can be taking be taking.
KP: What are some ways that people can "bear-proof" their houses and yards against bears that are safe for the animals?
AS: 1) Garbage is usually the easiest attractant for a bear to get in to and it is what teaches a bear that food in human-occupied areas is easier to find than their natural food sources. A wildlife resistant container is the best solution for securing garbage. With wildlife resistant container you don’t have to put your garbage into your garage and risk a bear wanting to break in to access it. You can leave it outside and the bear won’t be able to get into it and will move on.
We recommend placing these at least 25 feet from your home, so bears don’t associate the smell of garbage with your house. If you live in Washoe County or Carson, you can request a bear-resistant container by contacting your local waste management.
Douglas County residents can call Douglas Disposal for information about obtaining a bear-resistant container. For those who don’t have a bear resistant container, keep your garbage in a secure structure, and put it out on the morning of pick up, as close to pick up time as possible. There are garbage ordinances in place in Washoe, Carson City and Douglas counties. If you knowingly have wildlife accessing your garbage, you are in violation of a county code and could be fined.
2) Never leave food or garbage in your car. With their sharp and short claws, it is easy for a bear to peel down the door of a car. In some areas bears know how to work a car door handle and will allow themselves in that way, and if the door closes behind them, they can destroy the interior of your vehicle, potentially hurting themselves in the process.
3) Be sure to keep your garage doors, front doors and windows closed. Leaving windows and doors open will welcome bears into your home, if there is food available inside.
4) Secure all other attractants: Bring pet feed inside, take bird feeders down (not only do they attract bears to neighborhoods, but they cause birds to congregate in one area, increasing the chances that bacteria will spread. NDOW is actually recommending people bring down their bird feeders for the next four weeks, because of salmonella, which is currently impacting finches and Pine Siskins in northern Nevada), don’t leave food outside in coolers, be sure to properly clean barbecue grills.
KP: Are there any animals or livestock that attract bears such as chickens or bees and if so, how can people protect their animals?
AS: Definitely. Livestock, chicken coops, beehives, gardens and fruit trees create a buffet for bears. There is a simple way to keep them safe. We strongly recommend using electric fencing to encircle your hives, birds, gardens, fruit trees and any other attractants that stay outside. Electric fencing will protect anything you want to keep a smart bear away from. Electric fencing has come a long way and there are very easy and inexpensive systems available to help protect your property. Find resources here: http://www.ndow.org/Nevada_Wildlife/Bear_Logic/
KP: What should people do if they spot an injured bear, or a bear in the roadway who could become injured?
AS: Do not approach the bear. Call NDOW at (775) 688- BEAR. If it is deemed necessary, a game warden or biologist will respond. If it is an emergency (affecting traffic and could cause an accident or is acting aggressively) call 911. Do NOT pick up an injured bear, even a small cub as a mother may be close by. Allow your trained wildlife experts at NDOW to respond with the proper resources.
KP: What should people do if they have a bear who is coming around frequently?
AS: NDOW biologists are Nevada’s bear experts. Always call NDOW at (775) 688-BEAR if you have a bear visiting your property. We can offer guidance on how to secure the property or resources where you can report garbage violations. NDOW cares about its bears, residents and visitors and we want to ensure that everyone is safe and secure! If a bear is hanging around developed areas, it means that unsecured attractants are keeping it there. Also keep in mind, NDOW often won’t relocate a bear if there are attractants keeping the bear in the area. This is because if we relocate a bear, and attractants are still available, the bear will end up making its way back to the same area. It’s up to residents to keep bears from being attracted to their properties.
KP: Is there anything else you feel is important for the public to know?
AS: Spring is the time of year when yearling bears will disperse from their mothers and live on their own. We get a lot of calls from residents that see these yearlings and feel that they are cubs that are orphaned. To help residents figure out if they are seeing an orphaned cub or a dispersed yearling a rule of thumb is to go by size. If the “cub” is the size of a house cat (10-15 pounds) then it is a cub of the year and we would like to know if its mom has not been seen for 24 hours. If the “cub” is the size of a medium sized dog (40+ pounds) then that is a yearling and is supposed to be away from its mother. But if there is ever any concern, as your wildlife experts, we are happy to answer questions!
Go here to learn more about NDOW and its bear education.