Hungry black bears: Shoot them or feed them?
When our fellow citizens fall on tough times and are unable to buy food, we set up places for people to get a meal or a few basics to hold them over until their situation improves. Food is usually donated out of compassion, but the programs are designed to prevent people from turning to crime to feed themselves and their families. It is the logical thing to do because in extreme situations, it keeps people from getting shot.
Why, then, don’t we do the same for hungry bears?
This past season the poor crop of wild berries caused by the unusually dry weather drove hungry black bears in huge numbers into towns and cottage communities. Their search for alternative sources of food inevitably brought them in close contact with people and in many cases the bears were shot in the interest of public safety.
As towns have expanded and cottage communities have grown, the distance the bears have to travel before coming into conflict with us has been greatly diminished. While we need to protect our property and families, we can’t really blame the bears for following their noses and turning up at our back doors. After all, they were here first.
In Minnesota, one famous biologist and his team have found success in treating the problem in what seems to be, well, a logical way. By setting up special feeding locations to help hungry bears get through their tough times, the team has found that the bears refrain from becoming problematic.
Lynn Rodgers of the Wildlife Research Institute based in Ely, Minnesota has been studying bears for over 40 years, and wrote a paper in 2009 about the findings of his studies.
The program is referred to as “diversionary feeding” and tests the theory that black bears in years of dire food situations are less troublesome if they are fed. Over a number of years, in carefully controlled tests, Rodgers observed the effects of diversionary feeding on the behaviour of black bears in areas where the animals had been problematic.
In short, the studies show that feeding the bears doesn’t create “nuisance bears”. The results have caused a bit of a stir because the findings go against the common beliefs about black bear behaviour.
See the full report here: Diversionary Feeding Of Black Bears [PDF]
As humans, we only resort to extreme measures as a last resort when we need to feed ourselves. Apparently, the black bears are no different.
Now, I know that most of our DNR or MNR friends out there are probably shaking their heads right now, so I want to make this clear. I am absolutely NOT advocating that each cottage community, campground, or rural town set up a neighbourhood bear-feeding program.
When people feed wild animals as a recreational activity, nothing good comes out of it and the animals almost always end up worse-off.
The situation we are discussing here is different. In critical circumstances when hungry black bears are a problem on an ongoing basis, it may be worth the effort of getting together with the local conservation authorities and bear biologists to consider a feasible alternative to killing the animals.
I know that destroying a bear is the official last resort mandated by all of the wildlife authorities. Cottagers and citizens alike are encouraged to avoid attracting bears in the first place. In some instances the nuisance bears are trapped and relocated. But at the end of the day when resources are strapped and complaints are piling in, more often than not, the bears get shot.
Now, setting up a diversionary feeding program takes time and costs money. It’s no secret that the Department of Natural Resources authorities are ridiculously under-funded, so the local cottager community or town residents would probably have to come up with the cash.
Groups raise money for all sorts of events every year, so why not try this one. If it works, it’s much cheaper than replacing the back door and the freezer.
Just remember to let the professionals take care of the organization and operation of the program.
Many people still view black bears as vermin and there is no shortage of trigger-happy cabin owners just waiting for an excuse to pop a bear. After all, shooting the bears is the easiest and, if we are going to be honest, the cheapest way to deal with the problem.
But does that make it the right solution, especially if another option is available?
Andrew Walker is the editor of CottageTips.com. CottageTips.com strives to be a useful and rewarding place for all cottage and cabin owners to find, request, and exchange information about all things related to outdoor living.
Related Articles:
- The Daily Feed When we launched our land website –...
