CONCORD, N.H.---As spring advances, New Hampshire's black bears are stirring in their dens, hungry for their first meal in months. All too often, however, bears find those meals in people's backyards---at bird feeders, compost piles and trash bags.
"When those bears come out of their dens, they're hungry and looking for food," said Eric Orff, a wildlife biologist for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. "And in the spring, when there's not much natural food available, some bears learn that bird feeders and trash bags are an easy source of food. For bears, it's a tough habit to break."
To help prevent conflicts between bears and humans, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department reminds people to follow a few simple guidelines at home, including removing bird feeders as soon as the snow melts, or by April 1.
"The bear that raids a bird feeder finds quick satisfaction with a protein-rich meal and soon finds other feeders in the neighborhood," Orff said. "Female bears will often pass this habit to their cubs. And once bears become emboldened, they learn that humans are a good source for all kinds of food, like trash, compost and barbecue grills."
In the wild, black bears are one of New Hampshire's most magnificent animals. They've got a highly evolved sense of smell; are able to pass information about food and territory to other bears; and have an uncanny sense of direction. But bears that learn to rely on humans for food lose their sense of wildness and can quickly become a nuisance to many people, according to Fish and Game biologists.
"It's very important this year for people to avoid attracting bears with bird seed, trash or other strong odors," said Kip Adams, Fish and Game's bear project leader. "With last fall's failure of acorn and beech nut production, many bears will come out of winter in poor condition and extremely hungry."
To spread the word about preventing conflicts with black bears, Fish and Game continues its campaign called, "Something's Bruin: Learn to Live With Bears." The Department offers a free information packet, including "Something's Bruin" bumper sticker. This year, the Department is also producing a "Black Bear Bulletin" newsletter that offers more information about black bears, research and preventing conflicts. Also new this year is a Bear Information Services toll-free phone number 1-888-749-2327 (1-888-SHY-BEAR), coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The toll-free number will be staffed during normal working hours Monday through Friday and is designed to offer people technical advice about bear problems.
"After many years of persecution and low numbers, New Hampshire's black bears are back, Orff says. "We're now fortunate to have a healthy population of about 4,000 black bears, and they remind us about the wildness of our state," Orff says. "But along with having ears also comes humans' responsibility to learn to live with them. Remember, only you can prevent problems with bears."
For more information, visit the NH Fish and Game Department's website.
