June is peak bear season, MassWildlife biologist says. How to avoid negative interactions
WESTBOROUGH — Earlier this month, at least four bear cubs were orphaned after their mother was shot and killed by an Athol resident when the adult bear was spotted breaking into a chicken coop, a state biologist said.
Dave Wattles, black bear biologist for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), said now is the busy time of year for black bears as males are searching for mates and older cubs are leaving their mothers for the first time.
Because of that, there will be more interaction between people and bears, which could lead to situations like the one on June 6 in Athol.
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"June is peak bear season," said Wattles. "Males are moving all over the place, looking for females that are receptive to them. The young and juvenile bears that were born the winter before last are now out on their own, as the mothers have more cubs born this past winter."
Police in Wayland, Southborough and Framingham have each reported bear sightings. Fortunately, none has resulted in a negative interaction with people.
Why are bears attracted to backyards?
Bears, Wattles said, are attracted to backyards due to food, particularly bird feeders.
"This is the biggest take-home for people: The reason the bear is there is because of the food people have outside of their homes — bird feeders," said Wattles. "Bird feeders are training bears that the easiest place to find food is in people's backyards, so instead of spending time in the forest, where it's hard to find food, they go backyard to backyard to backyard."
An additional attraction is the number of people who have taken to beekeeping or chicken coops, both of which also attract bears, he said.
What to do to not attract bears
Wattles said having bird feeders is nice but could lead to interactions between humans, their pets and bears. And that could lead to bears being shot by law enforcement.
"It's really, really key that people take this seriously and take those bird feeders in and secure their trash," said Wattles. "The public refuses to do that and then they call us and say, 'I have a bear in my backyard, and it won't leave.' It won't leave because of the food and, unfortunately, this can lead to a bear being shot."
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For those who have chickens or beehives or other small livestock, MassWildlife recommends getting electric fencing; the agency provides a guide to electric fencing on its web page, Wattles said.
What to do if you encounter a bear
If you encounter a bear, Wattles said to give it space and make enough noise so as to not startle it. He said do not try to get too close or attempt to take photos.
"Give it space," he said. "If I was talking about coyotes, I'd say remove the food source, haze them, yell at them, but don't do that with a bear. They're large. They're not aggressive, but they certainly have the potential to be dangerous. Enjoy the sighting, but don't put yourself in a dangerous situation. Give them space and they'll wander away."
As for the orphaned bear cubs in Athol, they've been rescued and have been sent to a wildlife rehabilitator in New Hampshire.
"It was the best outcome possible," Wattles said. "It's certainly not the best situation for those cubs. The best situation would be to be with their mother, but that's not possible anymore."
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: MassWildlife biologist explains why June is busy month for bears
