Bears Already Roaming Foothills Thanks to Early Spring, Wildlife Officials Say

Spring weather has arrived earlier than usual in many parts of the state, prompting state wildlife managers to expedite their annual warning about avoiding conflicts with black bears.

Rich Beausoleil, bear and cougar specialist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), said field staff have already received reports of black bear activity in North Bend, Issaquah and Chelan County.

“Black bears usually emerge from their dens in mid-to-late April, but warm weather can cause them to stir earlier,” Beausoleil said. “Whatever the timing, black bears are hungry when they emerge from their dens, because they lose up to half their body weight during hibernation.”

Natural foods are scarce this early in the year, so bears often start looking for the easiest source of high-protein food, he said.

Sightings of bears are becoming a regularly reported occurance in Sammamish and Issaquah thanks to the expansion of development into native bear habitat and technological advances that allow media to quickly report the sightings.

For that reason, Beausoleil strongly recommends that people take steps to avoid attracting black bears to their home. Particularly in areas known to attract bears, that means securing garbage cans, removing backyard bird seed and not leaving pet food outdoors.

“If people would control these three bear attractants, the number of bear-human conflicts would be reduced significantly,” he said.

Last year, WDFW officials responded to 444 situations involving bears, ranging from raids on garbage cans and birdfeeders to confrontations with pets. In 2011, WDFW responded to 523 incidents involving black bears.

“Bears are naturally wary of humans, but they can overcome that fear when they are rewarded with food provided intentionally or unintentionally by people,” he said. “Situations involving bears that have learned to associate food sources with people often end badly for the bear.”

Two new state laws went into effect last summer that prohibit leaving food or food waste in places where it can attract bears and other wild carnivores. Intentional feeding can bring a fine of up to $1,000, or $87 for feeding that unintentional but “negligent.”

Human conflicts with bears tend to subside by mid-summer, when berries and other natural foods become available, and then pick up again in fall before the animals enter their dens, Beausoleil said.

Beausoleil advises taking the following steps to prevent conflicts with bears:

• Never intentionally feed bears or other wild animals.
• Keep garbage cans in a garage or another secure area until collection day.
• Remove pet food from areas accessible to wildlife.
• Take down birdfeeders until winter.
• Thoroughly clean barbecue grills after each use.
• When camping, keep a clean campsite by thoroughly cleaning all cooking utensils after use and sealing uneaten food in airtight containers stored in bear-proof canisters away from sleeping areas.

More information about how to avoid conflict with bears is available on WDFW’s website http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/bears.html.

Previous Bear Coverage:

Wildlife Managers Who Say ‘Don’t Feed Bears’ Have New Laws to Cite, Oct. 21, 2012

Issaquah Valley Elementary Locked Down Briefly for Bear Sighting, Oct. 10, 2012

Car Hits Bear in Sammamish, May 25, 2012

Bear Spotted on Issaquah Pine Lake Road, May 10, 2012

Officials: Black Bear Spotted Thursday Near Pine Lake Middle School, Sept. 22, 2011

Resident Report: Bear Spotted Outside Sammamish House Monday Night, Sept. 6, 2011

(Ed. Note: The information in the article is taken from a Dept. of Fish and Wildlife news release.)