Campaign Will Help New Yorkers Live Responsibly with Black
Bears
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos
today announced that DEC is joining the BearWise campaign as a cooperative
member state. BearWise was developed by
biologists from state conservation agencies across the U.S. to ensure
people, regardless of location, learn to live responsibly with bears.
Using the "BearWise basics," residents are
encouraged to take simple steps at home or when recreating outdoors to
avoid negative interactions with black bears.
"DEC biologists and
technicians respond to hundreds of human-bear
conflicts each year that are nearly all preventable," Commissioner Seggos
said. "As New Yorkers head into the summer
months, which is a busy time for bears, DEC encourages the public to
practice the BearWise basics by removing things
bears find attractive like pet food and trash to help reduce the
potential for negative interactions."
Black bears are most active
throughout the spring and summer months and can be attracted to
human-created food sources, especially during dry weather periods when
natural food sources are scarce. The BearWise
campaign recommends people take six basic steps to avoid attracting bears
to areas around homes or neighborhoods:
·
Never feed or approach black bears;
·
Secure food, garbage, and recycling;
·
Remove bird feeders when bears are active;
·
Never leave pet food outdoors;
·
Clean and store grills and smokers; and
·
Alert neighbors to bear activity.
BearWise also
recommends six basics when recreating or vacationing in bear country:
·
Stay alert and together;
·
Leave no trash or food scraps behind;
·
Keep dogs leashed;
·
Camp away from dense cover;
·
Secure food and cook as far away from
tents/living quarters as possible; and
·
Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and
know how to respond if you see a bear.
For more information on how
to live responsibly with black bears and how to be BearWise,
visit DEC's webpage or the BearWise website.
WATCH DEC's videos 'Bears in the Backyard' and 'Camping With Bears'.
If a bear is damaging property or is reluctant to leave the area, but the
situation is not an emergency, call DEC's
regional wildlife office during business hours, or call
the DEC Law Enforcement Dispatch Center at 1-844-DEC-ECOs
(1-844-332-3267).
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