Homeowners & Pet Owners Bears are here to stay.

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

How to make your yard and neighborhood less attractive to bears.

It’s all about food! When bears find sources of food in residential areas, they tend to spend more time in neighborhoods where a meal may be easily found. This can result in a bear losing its fear of people (habituation) and in some cases, can lead to bears breaking into sheds, cages and even homes in search of food. You can help keep bears wild and wary of people by following the suggestions below. To be effective, it's important for entire neighborhoods to follow these guidelines. Share this information with your neighbors!
Bears that are frequently fed, either directly or indirectly through bird feeders or garbage, may completely lose their fear of people. If a bear then behaves in a way that is a threat to public safety it may be euthanized.

Bird Feeders and Bears

• If you live in an area with bears, it is best to avoid bird feeders altogether. Bears finding a bird feeder, bird seed, corn or other bird food will often revisit that site, month after month, year after year.  Bird feeders draw bears closer to people, resulting in bears losing their fear of people, a process called habituation. It’s not safe for bears or people to be close to one another. If you choose to put out feeders, doing so in the winter when bears are denned may decrease the chances of a bear coming to your feeder. In general, most bears are denned from mid-December through February. Although most bears in Rhode Island enter winter dens at some point, MassWildlife biologists have tracked bears that remained active for some or all of the winter if food is available. It is important that you remove the entire feeder at the first sign of bear activity.
• For those people who enjoy birds in their yard, the Outdoor Scene Web-Site suggests growing native plants, shrubs, and trees to attract birds. Adding a water feature is a big draw for birds.  Taking these actions may increase the diversity of birds you see and will prevent the unnatural feeding of bears and other kinds of neighborhood wildlife.
• Some bears have learned to simply empty bird feeders without destroying the feeder. DO NOT continue to fill a feeder.
• Do not leave empty feeders out.  Residual smell and the sight of feeders can still attract bears.

Garbage and Compost

• Store all garbage in closed containers in a garage or outbuilding. Do not leave your garbage barrels outside overnight; put them by the roadside just before pickup. Using double bags or sprinkling with ammonia will help reduce odors. Bears and other wild and domestic animals will tip cans and scatter garbage. Bears may be attracted by smelly cans even if there isn’t anything in them, so store garbage cans inside.
• Compost Responsibly -- Do not throw meat scraps, greasy, oily or sweet materials in your compost pile. Bears and other animals are attracted to these kinds of food.
• Bear-proof garbage cans may be available from municipalities or waste management contractors. In communities where bears are more common, bear-proof dumpsters are recommended for apartments, condos and campgrounds.    

Other Attractants

• Feed Pets Indoors -- Pet food is a tasty treat for bears—don’t leave pet food outdoors.
• Clean greasy barbecues and grills after each use. Do not leave food scraps, grease containers or spilled grease in your yard.

Share these tips with your friends and neighbors and help keep wildlife wild!