Bears Preparing For Winter
DNR Offers Advice to Residents Living in Bear Country
ANNAPOLIS – As the leaves change colors and the mercury begins to drop, western Maryland residents are urged to take precautions to avoid unnecessary conflicts with black bears.
“This is a time of year when black bears increase their daily movements as they prepare to hibernate through the upcoming winter”, advises Paul A. Peditto, director of the Wildlife and Heritage Service (WHS). “Bears may feed up to 20 hours a day, padding the fat reserves that will sustain them through their four to five-month hibernation period” added Peditto.
Western Maryland residents are reminded to secure trash and pet food to avoid inviting unwanted bruins onto their property. Black bears are intelligent, opportunistic feeders with good long-term memories. If they receive an easy meal from a trashcan, pet dish, or birdfeeder, they are likely to remember it and return for more. It is the responsibility of all citizens living in Maryland’s bear country to prevent bears from becoming habituated to these human-related food sources.
Residents are especially advised to delay wintertime feeding of birds until December after most of the bears have entered the den for the season. WHS black bear research has shown that Maryland’s bears begin to enter the den in mid-November. Most bears will be denned by mid-December.
According to WHS the annual mast survey conducted throughout Maryland’s bear range, natural food supplies such as acorns, black cherries, and hickory nuts are plentiful throughout Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. The abundance of these natural food supplies will help to keep bears in the forests. However, bears that have learned to depend on human foods may begin to prefer these sweet, high-fat foods to the natural foods of the forest. Bears that become dependent on human foods may become less fearful of people, which could lead to a dangerous situation for both people and bears.
To learn more about Maryland’s black bears, visit the DNR website at www.dnr.maryland.gov or call the Wildlife & Heritage Service at (301) 334-4255 in Garrett County, (301) 777-2136 in Allegany County, or (301) 842-2702.