https://wildlifeinformer.com/black-bear-population-by-state Research shows that male bears range over areas from 200500 km2; that is an area of approximately 77193 square miles! Once implanted, embryonic development resumes, and growth only occurs during the remaining 10 weeks of pregnancy. Ward is unsure if its the same one seen near Rend Lake, but he did say bears can travel a lot. Hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and camping areas provide ample opportunities to spot these animals in their natural habitats. For more information, visit the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources website. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources said they also had a bear sighting report last Thursday from someone else in the same area. Early May, through June, is peak bear season across Kentucky. Copyright 2021 KFVS. Black Bear Logging - Photo by Officials with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife have confirmed reports a black bear was spotted in Webster County Wednesday. Beshear announces replacement SNAP benefits for Kentuckians impacted by March 3 storms, Family seeks justice for teen shot in head while trying to pick up siblings at wrong address, Felon who threatened driver, bar patrons in Butler Co. with gun sentenced to 5.5 years in prison, Cape Girardeau man accused of pointing gun at several people during argument, Man arrested in connection with Texaco, Ill. stabbing, Cape Girardeau City Council votes to expand urban deer hunt, Mississippi man arrested after Marion, Ill. police find more than 80lbs. Black bears are primarily solitary animals that are skilled at foraging for food, with a diet that includes nuts, berries, insects, and small mammals. Getting too close to a bear The important thing to remember when dealing with nuisance behaviors, however, is that problem bears are not born- they are a product of their environment. Copyright Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources website. John Hast, bear program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, checks on cubs in McCreary County. During poor mast years, however, bears den later as it takes longer to acquire enough to make through the 34 month denning period in which bears do not eat, drink, urinate, or defecate. Richardson said sending out news releases allows the state to properly inform Kentuckians who may regularly see false reports on social media. To report a bear sighting in your area call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife or 1-800-25-ALERT. Interactions between humans and bears have increased over the last four years, with more people reporting bears foraging for food and entering homes, city Litters are produced every other year and cubs generally weigh only 816 ounces at birth. They are excellent climbers and are often seen scaling trees or exploring for food along riverbanks. Do not leave trash in the back of pick-up trucks as commonly results in damage to the vehicle. HOPKINS COUNTY, Ky. (WEHT) Another bear sighting has been confirmed in western Kentucky, according to State Fish & Wildlife officials. Black bears are normally very elusive and shy animals and unless they have become accustomed to human food sources, they tend to avoid people. Additionally, costs associated with the installation of an electric fence can be minimal when compared to potential losses in money by the destruction of honey and bees. Lynn Reynolds, chief biologistand founder of the North American Bear Center and the Wildlife Research Center in Ely, Minnesotais delving into the issue after Tashabecame an ambassador (captive) bear in Minnesotawhenshe was orphanedafterher mother was killedby a truck. Animals exhibiting those behaviors are doing so because they have either been fed or have learned to feed on improperly stored garbage or pet food. However, he adds Kentucky Fish and Wildlife advises the public to never approach or feed a bear, which can result in a negative encounter. Black bears are very curious animals and this should not be confused with Biologically, male bears may reach maturity at three to four years of age, but their ability to breed is often limited due to the presence of older, more mature males. This is actually for the benefit forher young, as adult males will often kill smaller bears during the breeding season. The results of this work will be published soon. Bears are naturally shy and elusive animals that generally avoid contact with humans. They are skilled hunters and feed on a diet of small mammals, insects, and amphibians. Celebrating the energy of your community. All rights reserved. To report a bear sighting in your area call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife at 800-858-1549 or email Info.Center@ky.gov. Do not leave garbage on a deck or porch, even if it is screened; doing so will only result in a bear on your deck or a torn screen. If you do see a black bear, keep a safe distance. Bears keep to themselves for the most part, except for male bears during mating season. Bear population growth rate figures come from extrapolating data from numerous sources, including a research program conducted by the University of Tennessee (UT), Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the U.S. Forest and Park services and the U.S. Geological Survey. Bear sightings in Sierra Madre have increased in recent years, and city officials say they want the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to change its The department said these sightingsfollow other recent reports in the region. Sometimes, the bear pictures and black panther pictures or mountain lion pictures, they get passed around all over the country, Richardson said. The black bear (Ursus americanus) is a large and powerful mammal that is native to Kentuckys forests and mountains. Long-term monitoring and ongoing research has identified the core population as concentrated along the Pine, Cumberland, and Black Mountain areas within in Harlan, Letcher, and Pike counties. Collectively, female bears den before males, and pregnant females or those with offspring den before solitary females. When camping in bear country, keep all food stored in a vehicle or away from tents. City officials intend to vote on a proclamation this month that would urge the state to update or enhance its policies for a sustainable managed bear population. In case of a bear encounter, Richardson recommends walking away slowly and going indoors if possible. More importantly, you can help stop the cycle of food-conditioned and human-habituated behaviors that bears learn when feeding near human dwellings. While pregnancy lasts approximately 220 days, embryonic development does not continue throughout the gestation period. In doing so, they have increased opportunities to encounter human dwellings. This serves as a proxy for biologists to determine how bear-saturated an area is. Officials in the city of Dixon, Kentucky, are advising the community to be cautious after a bear was spotted in the area. In a recent news release, state biologists confirmed reports of bear tracks in Princeton last Monday, a bear sighting near Dixon on Wednesday and a sighting in To learn more about advertising with Kentucky Living, contact us. Since 1998, the KDFWR has received sighting and nuisance reports from 54 Kentucky counties. Bury or move dead livestock away from living animals as carcasses will attract bears and other predators., Locate bee yards away from forest edges and riparian areas (river bottoms, creek drainages).. Bears will often stand upright to obtain a better sense of smell. 2. Locate calving grounds away form forest edges, and enclose with electric fencing if possible. Keep in mind, however, that aggressive dogs could suffer injury or death if a physical conflict arises. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife confirms bear tracks have been spotted in southern Henderson County. 2. Officials with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife have confirmed reports a black bear was spotted in Webster County Wednesday. Generally, those behaviors include some form of attractants such as garbage, food scraps, pet food, birdfeeders, livestock feed, or other human-related items. The expansion is everywhere, particularly east of I-75. WebNever approach a bear! You can find more information on bears here. There is no reason that you should ever be within 150 feet of a bear. Feeding bears creates behaviors in those animals that are almost impossible to correct. In the fall, a diet of hard mast composed of acorns and beechnutsallows thebears to put on extraordinary fat reserves that enable not only survivalbut cub production, during the denning season. Fed bears lose their natural fear of people and become habituated to humans. Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/92.0.4515.159 Safari/537.36. Photo: Kentucky Instead, the proper storage of human-related foods and never feeding bears is the key. Despite what some people think, black bears do not naturally occur in trashcans or a persons backyard in the middle of town. Make your presence known by yelling at the bear and slowly back away without turning your back. You have permission to edit this article. Best in Kentucky Destination Highlight Great Outdoors Kentucky Eats Worth The Trip, Byron Crawford Commonwealths Gadgets & Gizmos Kentucky Kids Smart Health Uniquely Kentucky, Incentives & Rebates Business Spotlight Co-op Community Co-Operations Co-ops Care Cutting Cost Energy Guides KAEC CEO Our Power Safety Moment. Black bears den for the winter months and typically emerge in late March or early April. The bear's sighting isn't a cause for alarm but a time for residents to prepare to avoid negative interactions with the animal if it does cross into Indiana, said Brad Westrich, a nongame mammalogist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Feeding bears is absolutely the worst thing that people can do to ensure a bears death. And like the early pioneers, we have a choice to make.. Definitely dont approach in anyway, just give them their space and theyll keep doing what they do.. Raccoons are notorious for their mischievous behavior and are a common sight in many parts of Kentucky. Do not play dead! Many of these young males end up migrating to southern Jessamine and Fayette counties by following along the river. Some counties saw a 20% growth rate in the number of American black bears last year, Hast says. Females with cubs will often climb a tree to for escape cover; never surround a tree holding any bear, especially a female with cubs! Kentucky is home to a growing bear population that offers frequent and widespread viewing opportunities in the wild. These areas are carefully managed to provide habitats for various wildlife species like white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, and other mammals. Bear sightings in Sierra Madre have increased in recent years, and city officials say they want the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to change its approach to dealing with the wild animals in the foothill community. In the event of an attack, fight back using everything in your power - including fists, sticks, rocks, or any other debris. The first rule is that you want to make your presence known by yelling and shouting at the bear in an attempt to scare it away. Black bears have a natural fear of people and adverse encounters with people are extremely rare.". Male black bears are known to wander great distances, Morgan said. (cNews) Natural foods for songbirds are abundant in the summer months when bears are most active, so removing feeders will have no negative impact on birds.. Black bears are extremely powerful animals whose behaviors can be unpredictable. This is just a way for us to verify for people. For more information on the North AmericanBearCenter go towww.bear.org. While variant color phases may exist, bears are typically black with a brown muzzle and may exhibit a white patch on their chest. The copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a venomous snake that is common in Kentuckys woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. They are often seen grazing in open areas or darting through the trees with their graceful leaps. Crowd control is the initial concern as the behavior of a cornered bear can be unpredictable. Situations that invite bears into or near human dwellings can create cycles of behavior that can be very hard to break. The great majority of their time is spent alone and on a seemingly endless quest for food. They may also stand up to play Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife says residents of an area where a bear has been spotted should secure their garbage in a garage or other building, not leave pet food or bird feed outside and clean and store barbecue grills. If you feed a bear in your backyard, that animal is eventually going to leave and may travel to a house 10 or 20 miles away. Nuisance behaviors learned as a cub will often stay with that bear for life. If you do see a black bear, keep a safe distance. When they emerge from dens, natural foods are scarce and often bears are lured by the smell of human-related foods. The department explained why the bear may be wandering: "It is not unusual in the early summer for young male bears to wander well outside of the established bear range in eastern Kentucky. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife opens over 1,400 acres for public hunting in western Kentucky, The December tornado outbreak destroyed many trees a key habitat for bats, Hunters in western Kentucky asked to take special precautions to curtail chronic wasting disease in deer. Bears have an incredible sense of smell and are likely being lured by some type of food attractant. CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) Charleston Area Medical Center is warning its employees and patients to be cautious after a bear sighting at one of their Kanawha City locations. Copperhead snakes are generally shy and prefer to avoid confrontation with humans, but they can be dangerous if provoked. Download a technical bulletin entitled Black Bears and Bee Yards. The amended bill, Senate Bill 242, wouldnt allow local floodplain administrators to use the Indiana Department of Natural Resources maps to grant construction permits for two years unless landowners request them. As breeding happens, young males get bounced out and tend to pop up in places across the bluegrass.. Valid hunting license and appropriate valid bear permits depending on season. WebTo date, the largest bear handled in Kentucky was a 480-pound adult male that was captured as a research animal during the summer of 2008. In those instances, bears may have to be trapped, relocated, or even killed. Bears wandered back into Kentucky after wildlife officials moved bears to nearby areas of Virginia and Tennessee, making homes in forests that grew up on areas logged earlier. 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