TWRA Does Not Anticipate Increase in Bear Sightings

The TWRA has not seen an increase in black bear sightings so far this year.

That according to Mime Barnes, the Wildlife Information Specialist.

“This year we haven’t seen any increase in sightings. It is a pretty typical year for us,” Barnes said.  “And it is not a huge number of sightings either. Just a few and it tends to be when a bear, unfortunately, makes its way into more suburban areas.”

Barnes said young black bears wander into urban areas more often than adult black bears.

“So it’s not necessarily more bears. It seems like there is probably a juvenile that has left its mother for the first time and looking for new territory. Which means they are kind of wandering aimlessly,” Barnes said. “They don’t have an established territory yet. They are looking for food, so they are kind of out there wandering. And it is the time of year we are most likely to see them.”

Young black bears rely on their incredible sense of smell to direct them, Barnes said.

“But they really don’t know where they are going. So it’s not like there are hundreds and hundreds of bears. There’s not,” Barnes said. “There is just one trying to find its way through town. And it eventually will, if everyone can just leave it alone. The number one thing we ask for everybody is to give it space.”

If a bear does not find its way, TWRA will evaluate the situation with a grid system, Barnes said. Sometimes relocation is an option for displaced juvenile bears, Barnes said.

“The last thing that we ever want to do is put down a healthy animal. The situations were we typically have to do that are because people are not giving the bear space and it becomes habituated to human food. So that is why we always encourage everybody to get that trash secured, store your grills inside if possible.”

The TWRA encourages everyone to limit attractants during bear sightings. Barnes said everyone should refrain from putting out bird feed, pet food, and ripe vegetables and fruits in the open.

For more information on avoiding black bears, visit bearwise.org.