Bear sightings in the Panhandle? Texas wildlife officials say it's possible in drought
Although it was once not too uncommon to spot black bears in the northwestern Panhandle of Texas, sightings are considered fairly rare these days.
But as we face more frequent and severe droughts, we can expect these creatures to become an increasingly common sight again.
Wildlife experts say drought conditions -- such as those we’re currently experiencing – can influence the species’ migratory behavior, prompting them to wander into Texas on the hunt for food and water.
“(Occasionally), they’ll spill over from New Mexico, and we will get them in cornfields and such,” said Sam Harryman, a wildlife biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Oftentimes, to my knowledge, during drought.”
In fact, while few and far between, sightings over the last couple decades were almost always during drought times and primarily occurred within 10 miles of the state border.
During the 2011 drought – which many experts have compared to the ongoing drought impacting the South Plains and Panhandle -- Dallam County locals reported a black bear sighting near Dalhart, according to the Texas Tech University Natural Science Research Laboratory.
Additionally, the Amarillo Globe-News reported black bear sightings in Hartley County during a severe drought that Eastern New Mexico faced in November 2000. Globe-News archives also show earlier that year in May, wildlife experts had captured and released a black bear northwest of Friona.
Though Harryman said bears are not an existing threat to the South Plains, similar trends may occur within bobcat and coyote populations in the region.
“There’s definitely a possibility (of increased human-wildlife interaction),” Harryman said. “If you have water sources out, such as bird baths, food, or shrubbery, you can have animals coming into your yard.”
Currently, he’s only heard of increased deer sightings, and he expects predator sightings would only occur outside of city limits – and primarily in areas with rocky terrain and increased amounts of vegetation.
Regardless of the species – predator or prey – it's essential to leave wildlife alone, Harryman said.
“We've had droughts before, and we'll have more in the future,” Harryman said. “It’s just a part of nature, and drought is a way for populations to regulate themselves. Mother Nature has its own way of doing its job.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Increased wildlife sightings possible in region during drought
