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All Attractants Articles
As summer winds down and bears rush to pack on the pounds before hibernation, at least a few ursines have exhibited unusually aggressive behavior.
Director of Bear Smart Durango Bryan Peterson said unprovoked, aggressive behavior is unusual for black bears, but it's not unheard of.
A recent pair of incidents were reported in which bears exhibited this type of behavior, both taking place in the heart of Durango.
Wildlife officials in Canmore, Alta., say fewer bear sightings in the past week mean their efforts have been paying off.
Several residents had reported seeing grizzly bears in town in recent weeks.
Since then, officers have been cutting down berry bushes in the area and have set several traps.
"We're going to be continuing that control work in the next week or so," said Darcy Whiteside, of the province's Sustainable Resource Development department.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has drafted a bear management plan that attempts to grapple with all the issues raised by the resurgence of a species that can reach 600 pounds and has a taste for garbage.
The plan calls for setting up local resident groups to work out bear issues; reducing those killed on roads; establishing wilderness corridors to reconnect shrinking, genetically isolated bear populations along the Gulf coast with larger ones inland; and — most controversially — considering whether Florida should reopen bear hunting, banned in 1994.
N. Conway Man Says He Startled Bear When He Threw Trash In Bin
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. -- A North Conway man needed 16 stitches after an encounter with a Dumpster-diving black bear during the weekend.
Jeff Allard said he was taking out the trash at his apartment complex Sunday night and didn't notice a bear rummaging inside the trash bin. Allard said he tossed his trash into the bin, startling the bear.
Yellowstone's grizzlies are going to be particularly hungry this fall, and that means more dangerous meetings with humans in a year that is already the area's deadliest on record.
Scientists report that a favorite food of many bears, nuts from whitebark pine cones, is scarce. So as grizzlies look to put on some major pounds in preparation for the long winter ahead, scientists say, they will be looking for another source of protein — meat — and running into trouble along the way.
Three bears spotted in Peaks of Grassi
A spate of grizzly bear activity in a Canmore neighbourhood has wildlife officials warning residents to bear-proof their homes.
Grizzly bears have been spotted mere metres from houses, eating buffalo berries, dogwood and other food in yards adjacent to the Peaks of Grassi community, a wildlife corridor.
Some berry-laden bushes -- prime bear food -- are growing directly behind and in between homes in the neighbourhood.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.-In hot pursuit of a notorious burglar along the shores of Lake Tahoe this year, Carl Lackey organized a night patrol to catch the perp. His tools included a fire extinguisher, pepper spray and two dogs that respond only to commands in Russian.
"These dogs were bred to hunt," says Mr. Lackey, 45 years old.
Bears are increasingly seen in populated areas around Lake Tahoe. Above left, a bear in South Lake Tahoe found leftovers from Memorial Day in 2007.
A black bear cub who became affectionately known as "jarhead" after a plastic container got stuck on its head can eat and drink again after experts removed it.
The clear container was removed from the six-month-old cub's head after it had been wedged on for at least 10 days. The cub poked its head into the jar when digging through rubbish in a central Florida neighbourhood.
Trampling car hoods and breaking into houses, bears have been at it again this summer in Durango . But city officials say a new law is doing some good in reducing the food available in town.
Bear Smart Durango's Bryan Peterson said foraging bears have calmed since this month's monsoons helped sprout new natural food outside town. But it was a crazy June and July.
'Taste aversion' could deter predators from eating cows, sheep: biologist
Saskatchewan has a serious problem with predators eating livestock, but what if ... they simply didn't feel like eating?
"Taste aversion" could be the answer to making wolves and coyotes leave cows and sheep alone, says John Polson, a freelance wildlife biologist and beekeeper.
Anchorage police said they shot and killed a black bear and two cubs at a Stuckagain Heights home after the animals broke in last week and tried again twice on Saturday.
Police said they shot the sow on a back doorstep of the smaller of two houses on the property at about noon Saturday as it was clawing at the door. Officers then shot one cub while it was on the roof and a second while it was on a deck. A third escaped into the woods.
FAIRBANKS — Denali Borough Mayor Dave Talerico shot and killed a grizzly bear when it charged him this week at the Denali Borough Landfill.
“I just feel horrible,” Talerico said.
A taxidermist who examined the hide later discovered the bear had been shot earlier with a bullet from a .22, the mayor said. When he learned the bear had been wounded earlier, Talerico said he felt a little better about his decision to shoot in the interest of public safety — particularly his own at the time.
Busy July for bear calls closes with yearling getting into Riverside tent
The weekend took its toll on Whistler's bear population, as two more were killed on Saturday and Sunday (July 31 and Aug. 1) — one destroyed after breaking into a tent at the Riverside Campground, and the other dead after being hit by a car.
A busy July for bear calls ended with the destruction of the tent-invading bear on Saturday. Dave Jevons of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said a female yearling that had a history of a high level of conflict around the Village broke into a tent at Riverside, and got into some food and toiletries.
“I heard a noise in the carport and I thought it was a dog. When I went to check it turned out to be a bear, about 12 feet away, going through the garbage. I was shocked.”
On July 22 Phillip van Niekirk experienced a bear “interaction” at his home in North Vancouver. In this case, the animal entered his carport.
Disposal of BSE-affected carcasses blamed
Bears have killed his livestock and preyed on sick calves. They tear open silage bags and break into grain bins.
But the real fear for Tony Bruder, a third-generation Twin Butte cattle rancher, is that one day it will be a human at the ugly end of a bear's attention.
He's been chased by a bear while on horseback, and had grizzlies stroll by while he works under farm equipment. He's watched his children head out the back door to catch the school bus, and a bear wander through moments later.
BILLINGS, Mont. — A newly opened paintball course in Montana had to shut down after odor from disintegrated paintballs was luring possibly dangerous guests: bears.
Big Sky Marketing Director Dax Schieffer says the resort tried to find an environmentally friendly paintball. But it turned out that the one selected contains a vegetable oil that can attract grizzly and black bears that commonly roam the region.
In 2008, the North Shore Black Bear Society and the North Shore Recycling Program (NSRP) jointly developed guidelines for composting in bear country to provide consistent information to residents who wish to reduce the garbage they send to landfill while maintaining a bear-safe neighbourhood.
Since then, we have collaborated to deliver the composting-in-bear-country message to North Shore residents through popular community events, newspaper articles and ads, information brochures, how-to videos, public workshops and private gatherings.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTVA-CBS 11 News) In light of more bear encounters in many Anchorage back yards, one state lawmaker says it is time to come up with answers.
State Rep. Charisse Millett, R-Anchorage, held her second in a series of bear aware events Saturday at the Hillside Trail Head.
Millett was joined by members of the Anchorage Police Department, the Alaska Center for the Environment, Alaska State Troopers and Alaska Waste to better educate Anchorage residents on how to deal with living in bear country, and avoiding deadly trail encounters.
A 400-Pound Grizzly bear was shot and killled by conservation officers in Port Edward this past weekend. The bear had become a problem bear after it continued to frequent backyards and for a number of days in a row, a local boat launch. Conservation officers say some fisherman ignored signs telling the public to dump fish waste into deeper water resulting in the animal being put down. It's one thing for eagles to feed on fish carcasses and offal, but when that waste starts attracting a grizzly bear,the alarm on safety is sounded. Conservaton officers say grizzlies aren't as likely to eneter bear traps, and after determining that the bear couldn't be rehabilitated since it showed no fear of humans,they were left with only one alternative, to kill it. Unfortunately the destruction of this bear was preventable. If a handful of fisherman had been more responsible with their actions at the cleaning station.
Conservation officers this week shot and killed a bear that had repeatedly broken into homes in Whistler over the past few days, and relocated another that ate the seats of a golf cart and tossed around bags of clubs at Nicklaus North Golf Course.
Another bear, meanwhile, was killed after having been struck by a vehicle on Highway 99 south of Pemberton.
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