Feed Pets Indoors, Secure
Garbage, and Take Down Birdfeeders to Reduce Potential for Human-Bear
Interactions
State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos
today encouraged New Yorkers to take a few simple precautions to avoid
conflicts with bears.
"DEC is receiving
reports of bears roaming neighborhoods in several parts of upstate New
York," Commissioner
Seggos said. "We are
encouraging New Yorkers to help reduce the potential for negative
interactions with bears by removing the things bears find attractive like
pet food and trash."
Summer is a busy time for
bears. Young bears disperse from family groups, breeding bears search for
mates, and all bears forage for food to gain the fat needed for winter.
With this increased activity comes a greater potential for human-bear
conflicts, when bears find food near people.
New Yorkers living in bear
country, which includes much of upstate New York, are asked to take a few
simple steps this summer to protect their communities and bears from
harm:
·
Secure garbage indoors or a locked
outbuilding until the morning of pickup;
·
Remove birdfeeders;
·
Clean grease from grills; and
·
Secure livestock food and don't feed pets outdoors.
For more information, please
visit DEC's webpage on reducing
human-bear conflicts.
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