Public Invited to Upcoming Black Bear Informational Meetings
In light of recent black bear activity including three unfortunate vehicle/bear
collisions on local thruways and bear sightings in Erie and Niagara County, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reminds Western New Yorkers to remain vigilant and take precautions to reduce negative encounters with bears.
Approximately 1,800-2,500 bears live in the southern bear range, which includes the Catskills and parts of central and western New York. Bear populations, particularly in the southern bear range, have been increasing in number and expanding in distribution over the past decade.

“Normally secretive in their movements, black bear encounters are becoming
increasingly more frequent in areas outside historic bear ranges,” said DEC Big Game Biologist Tim Spierto. “This dispersal of young bears occurs every year as the breeding season approaches. The dispersing bears are known as ‘urban travelers’ because their movements often draw them into more populated area in search of food.”

To help further inform and educate the public about black bears, DEC invites the public
to attend an upcoming informational meeting. For public convenience, multiple meetings have been scheduled; all meetings will cover identical information:

Black Bear Informational Public Meeting
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
North Forest Rod and Gun Club
6257 Old Niagara Rd. (Needam’s Lane)
Lockport, NY 14094

Black Bear Informational Public Meeting
Thursday, July 2, 2009
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Julia Boyer Reinstein Public Library
1030 Losson Rd.
Cheektowaga, NY 14227

Black Bear Informational Public Meeting
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Lancaster Municipal Building
5423 Broadway
Lancaster, NY 14086

“We hope that Western New Yorkers will join us for this opportunity to learn more
about the black bears that live in our area and about DEC’s initiatives to study and manage their population,” said Spierto.

The recent instances of black bears moving through urban areas have involved subadult male bears, who are on their own for the first time and are trying to locate a home area. While not inherently dangerous, black bears can become a nuisance and can cause significant damage to property if they are able to obtain an easy meal from bird feeders, garbage cans, dumpsters, barbecue grills, tents, vehicles, out-buildings or houses. When bears learn to obtain food from human sources, their natural foraging habits and behavior are changed.

Once a bear becomes a problem, DEC is often asked to relocate the bear. However,
bear relocations are rarely effective at solving the problem. Relocated bears often return to their original capture site or simply continue their bad habits at a new location. If the circumstances that led to the original problem are not corrected, other bears will quickly be attracted to the site and the problems will persist. Bears that become accustomed to obtaining food from humans will often become bold and assertive in their quest for food, potentially leading to property damage or dangerous situations for humans. Unfortunately, this often results in DEC having to euthanize the bear, echoing the adage, "a fed bear is a dead bear."

Important tips to minimize or avoid a negative encounter with a black bear include:
• Never feed bears.
• If you believe that bears are being fed, intentionally or unintentionally, immediately
report it to DEC.
• Stop feeding birds as soon as the snow melts. Birds do not need supplemental food in the summer, when natural foods are most abundant. Clean up all seed fragments and shells left over from winter feeding as the smell will attract bears.
• Dispose of garbage as frequently as possible. Store it in clean, secure containers (toplatched, tied or chained). Sprinkle ammonia inside the garbage bag before closing.
Tie off garbage bags before placing them in containers.
• Keep garbage in cans inside buildings whenever possible.
• If garbage is picked up at the curb, put the garbage out just before the scheduled
pickup or place it in a roadside bear-resistant container. Do not put garbage out the
night before curbside pick-up. Clean garbage cans frequently with ammonia.
• Do not add meat scraps, bones or melon rinds to your compost pile.
• Do not burn garbage, especially meat scraps and grease.
• Clean barbecue grills before night fall and, after they cool down, store them inside;
• Feed pets indoors and store pet food indoors. If pets must be fed outdoors, take in all
uneaten food and dishes before dark.

Additional information about bears in New York State can be found on DEC’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6960.html. If you have questions about the upcoming meetings, please contact Megan at 851-7201.