California’s black bears are intelligent, resourceful and opportunistic. They eat something and every little thing — fruits, nuts, bugs, human meals and pet meals. They love chook feeders. They poach mountain lion kills — similar to deer — that they discover. It’s known as kleptoparasitism. They will use their backside tooth to work open an unlocked automotive door. In the event that they discover a approach into your home and kitchen, they will open jars of peanut butter and jam and, after all, honey.
They’re the only bear species within the state, and, regardless of the identify, their fur ranges in colour from blond to black. It’s been a century for the reason that grizzly bear was hunted to extinction in California, leaving solely its picture, mockingly, on the state flag.
Estimating black bears’ numbers is a fraught train. In its draft Black Bear Conservation Plan, the California Division of Fish and Wildlife estimates — utilizing new methodology — the inhabitants at about 65,000 and says it has been steady for a decade. (For years, the division had estimated the inhabitants at 35,000 utilizing much less superior statistical modeling.) Wildlife strategist Wendy Keefover of the group Humane World for Animals — previously the Humane Society of the US — argues that quantity is solely a guess, and she or he cautions in opposition to placing an excessive amount of emphasis on it as a result of apex predators similar to bears are sparsely populated and reproduce slowly.
No matter has occurred with the bear inhabitants, we all know for certain that stories of bear-human interactions have gone up. In accordance with the Division of Fish and Wildlife, stories have been rising for many years — not resulting from extra bears however to extra folks dwelling and vacationing in bear territory. There have been a median 674 stories yearly from 2017 to 2020, however that shot as much as 1,678 per 12 months throughout 2021 and 2022. The Lake Tahoe Basin and the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains have been specific scorching spots.
California Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas), whose district consists of a kind of scorching spots, has launched Assembly Bill 1038, which might enable hunters to haze bears — however not kill them — by having canine chase them. Hounding of bears by hunters throughout bear looking season was outlawed by the Legislature in 2012 and shouldn’t come again even when hunters don’t intend to kill the bears.
As in 2012, it stays cruel to bears, who find yourself exhausted and clinging to a tree. Canine and bears might struggle. And it’s unclear how chasing a random bear, maybe in a forest, goes to discourage it from foraging for meals round people. (The Division of Fish and Wildlife already permits, in restricted conditions, significantly problematic bears in communities or close to livestock to be hazed by canine.)
One other a part of Hadwick’s invoice would authorize the Fish and Sport Fee to determine whether or not hunters might use hounds as soon as extra to hunt and kill bears. The Legislature already banned this observe, and relinquishing its energy over that ban to an appointed fee is not sensible.
Though this invoice’s proposals should not useful, bear-human encounters are harmful and must be minimized. There’s a greater approach to do this. The division and animal welfare advocates strongly urge Californians to search out methods to make properties, automobiles, campsites and farms unattractive to bears. There are numerous suggestions. Bears love smelly meals. Don’t go away any meals exterior. Use trash cans with bear-proof latches. Take all meals out of your automotive after which lock the automotive doorways. On doorsteps, put down mats that trigger a gentle electrical shock when a bear steps on them; they’re known as “unwelcome mats.” Crawlspaces beneath decks must be secured. Take away chook feeders out of your yard.
Livestock must be stored in safe pens at evening. Electrical fencing could be put in round hen coops and enclosures. And for bears that maintain snooping round homes or livestock, there are methods of hazing that don’t contain canine chasing them. Movement-activated lights, noise makers and alarms can scare bears away.
And don’t feed them. Actually, it’s prohibited within the state of California. However Ann Bryant, govt director and a founding father of the Bear League within the Tahoe Basin, says some vacationers do it anyway, placing meals exterior wherever they’re staying in hopes of luring a bear after which snapping an image. It really works — after which the bear comes again anticipating extra meals. That’s when Bryant, whose group’s volunteers assist folks reside extra harmoniously with bears, will get a name from somebody eager to know easy methods to make the bear cease coming round.
Bryant’s recommendation is easy and easy: Cease placing out meals, and if the bear exhibits up once more, “You stomp your toes and yell, ‘Get outta right here!’ You’re taking away his confidence that individuals are going to be good and feed them. You must let the bear know the celebration’s over.”
So with all these strategies, why do bears maintain coming round? “These strategies do work,” says Fish and Wildlife spokesman Peter Tira. They simply should be extra extensively adopted: “The secret’s ongoing schooling and consciousness, forming good habits, reaching each residents and guests to bear nation.”
Will probably be as much as the division to extra aggressively get the message out. However right here’s some recommendation that vacationers ought to keep in mind, says Bryant: “Suppose at all times at the back of your thoughts, ‘I’m in bear nation.’”
