The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
DEC partners with Bearwise campaign
ALBANY, N.Y. >> New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos has 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,” Seggos said in a news release from his office. “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. This happens frequently 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.— 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.— 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 bearwise.org.
If a bear is damaging property or is reluctant to leave the area, but the situation is not an emergency, call the DEC Law Enforcement Dispatch Center at1-844332-3267.
How and When to Use a Bearresistant Canister Using a bearresistant canister is the most effective way to prevent bears from becoming emboldened to obtain food from back-country campers. In the Adirondack Park, overnight campers in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness Area are required by regulation (leaves DEC website) to use a bear-resistant canister between April 1st and November 20th. DEC recommends using a bear-resistant canister whenever primitive camping in bear country. Tested and approved bear-resistant canisters (leaves DEC website) can be purchased or rented from many local, national, and web-based outdoor recreation retailers.
All scented items that could attract a bear, including food, toiletries, medication, garbage, and pet food, should be stored in the bear-resistant canister.
Do not hang the bear-resistant canister by rope or keep it attached to your backpack in an attempt to prevent bears from carrying the canister away.
Do not keep the canister near water. They are not watertight and do not float. The canister should be kept on level ground at least 100 feet from your campsite and cooking area by creating a camping triangle.
Roughly 80% of human-bear conflicts are resolved with some simple advice on how to follow the Bearwise basics. However, some situations require DEC to take additional action. These situations include bears causing serious property damage, entering homes or buildings, or a bear that’s in an urban/suburban area and cannot escape. DEC’S first priority in addressing humanbear conflicts is public safety. DEC evaluates every scenario to determine the severity of the situation and may take one or more of the following steps:
DEC assesses the situation to ensure the Bearwise basics are being followed. If not, then information on how to begin practicing the Bearwise basics is provided.
If the Bearwise basics are already being followed, DEC may decide to negatively condition the bear. The bear will be hazed in hopes of teaching the bear that obtaining food near humans is unacceptable. DEC tags any bears that it handles so that they can be readily identified if encountered in the future. This data influences future decisions, should a bear have further encounters with people.
DEC may trap and euthanize bears that present a clear threat to public safety.
DEC does not relocate or place bears at animal sanctuaries. A relocated bear will often travel great distances to return to where it was originally captured. If it can’t find its way back, it will often seek out new human food sources in the area where it was released. Zoos and sanctuaries usually have too many bears already and will not accept more.