DEM OFFERS TIPS ON CO-EXISTING WITH BLACK BEARS IN RESPONSE TO A RECENT INCIDENT IN SOUTH KINGSTOWN WHERE A BEAR IS BELIEVED TO HAVE KILLED SEVERAL SHEEP
The Department of Environmental Management has received a complaint from a landowner on Ministerial Road in South Kingstown that over the past week, four sheep on his property are believed to have been killed by a black bear. Environmental police officers from DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement, wildlife biologists in the Division of Fish & Wildlife, and the RI State Veterinarian are investigating the complaint and monitoring activity on the property.
Per Departmental policy, black bears that have demonstrated repeated aggression toward domestic livestock are candidates for capture and elimination by the Department. As of this writing, no animals have been captured or filmed on a trail camera set up at the site. The Department recommends that livestock owners secure their animals and all grain and food sources that might serve as an attractant to the bear. The Department also recommends that property owners report sightings or suspected bear activity to the Division of Law Enforcement at 222-3070.
DEM is offering some tips on how to live with bears and discourage them from becoming nuisance animals. As black bear populations continue to increase in neighboring states it is likely that the presence and sighting of bears in Rhode Island will become a routine occurrence. Young male bears, which usually leave the care of their mother when they are about 18 months old after spending their second winter with their mother, have a tendency to wander great distances when on their own for the first time. This usually takes place in early summer. They will be harassed by any adult bear into whose territory they enter. Eventually, they will settle in a location that is not already occupied by an adult male and establish their own territory. Young females tend to disperse far less, often settling close to their mothers’ territories.
Black bears are generally shy and secretive, and usually fearful of humans; however, if they become dependent on backyard food sources they can lose their fear and become a nuisance. Intelligent and adaptable, they learn quickly and adjust to the presence of humans. They have a keen sense of smell, and will investigate food odors. They are opportunists, and it is this feeding behavior that attracts them to residential areas. The attractions include garbage, birdseed and suet, fruit, compost piles, outdoor pet dishes, and grease on barbecue grills. Once a bear finds an accessible food source, it may routinely return to the same site or similar sites to feed.
It is important to reduce the attractions that can make a bear a nuisance. Without the food attractions, and left alone, a curious bear will usually wander back into more secluded areas. If you see a bear on your property, you can either leave the animal alone and wait for it to leave, or make loud noises from a safe distance, and wave your arms, to scare it away. If you surprise a bear at close range, walk away slowly while facing the bear, but avoid eye contact which it might perceive as a threat. In Rhode Island, black bears are protected animals and hunting them is illegal.
In Rhode Island, as elsewhere, the tips on co-existing with bears are the same:
- Take down bird feeders from April to November. Natural food sources for birds are plentiful at this time of year.
- Do not feed pets outside, or, if you do, take pet food dishes inside at night.
- Store garbage in sheds and garages, away from doors. Double bagging and the use of ammonia will reduce odors that attract bears.
- Garbage for pickup should be put outside the morning of collection, not the night before.
- Keep barbecue grills clean of grease.
- Do not put meat or sweet food scraps in your compost pile.
Agricultural tips to discourage bears include:
- Use electric fencing around livestock or move livestock into barns at night.
- Use electric fencing around beehives or wire them together with metal strapping.
- Leave unplanted open lanes between forest and fields.
- Alternate row crops to provide less cover.
Black bears are generally solitary creatures. In the East, they are found from New England south through the Appalachians to northern Georgia. Black bear habitat is forestland, generally with both deciduous and coniferous trees, along with streams, swamps and rock ledges. Bears are typically nocturnal, but may be active during the day. They have poor eyesight, fair hearing, and a keen sense of smell. They are omnivorous and eat grasses, leaves, fruit, nuts and berries. Occasionally they will prey on small mammals, rarely deer and livestock. They will also eat insects, particularly ants and bees, and scavenge carrion.
Adult female black bears weigh between 110 and 150 pounds but may reach weights exceeding 200 pounds. Adult males typically weigh between 200 and 300 pounds. Adults are five to six feet long. Good tree climbers and swimmers, they can also run up to 35 miles per hour. Females will defend their cubs, so it is important to keep away from them and never get between a female and her cubs. Females with cubs generally range between six to 19 square miles, while males range between 12 and 60 square miles. During breeding season, usually late June and early July, males travel extensively in search of females. A single wandering bear can be responsible for numerous sightings.
DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement has produced a brochure with helpful tips on how to live with bears and discourage them from becoming nuisance animals. The brochure is available online on DEM’s website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on “Topics” from the homepage, then “Wildlife,” then “Bears.” [Direct link to Bears page]
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