Black
bears are part of our heritage. Manitoba has a healthy black-bear
population, and to ensure that it remains that way, we must
be Bear Smart. Remember
that the bear is a wild animal and we must do our part to
minimize the chances of an undesirable
bear encounter.
Many people live in bear country, while others venture
there to pursue outdoor activities. As a result, contact,
between black bears and people, is inevitable. For many,
the bear is seen as a cute and cuddly "Hollywood"
character that is charismatic and often enamored. What they
fail to appreciate is that bears can also be fierce
predators capable of killing both wild and domestic
animals, and in the rare case, humans.
The coat colour of black bears is commonly
black. However, it can range from blond, cinnamon or light
brown to dark chocolate including many intermediate colour
combinations. Black bears are naturally inquisitive and
normally timid, but they can also be bold. A bear's actions
are dictated by its personality, what it has learned from
its mother, the experiences it has gained on its own and,
of course its own instincts.
Much of a bear’s behaviour is governed
by its search for food. To satisfy its insatiable appetite,
it will cover different parts of its home range at different
times of the year, depending on the
availability of food. Most young black bears have no
established home ranges and are often forced into less preferred
habitat by older, more dominant bears. When natural foods
are in short supply or when there is high recruitment, bears
may be forced to venture beyond their home or maternal ranges.
During their travels, they are more likely to come upon
garbage and foods left at improperly maintained campsites,
residences, garbage cages and landfills.
Non-natural foods, such as human garbage
and birdfeed, become attractive to bears because they are
high quality foods that require little effort to acquire.
A bear that learns to associate human activity with something
to eat becomes "food-conditioned," and may select
for people’s food or garbage because of its availability
and predictability. A bear that is repeatedly exposed to
humans at close range without experiencing negative consequences,
learns to tolerate people at these distances and becomes
"habituated." Bears that are both "habituated"
and "food-conditioned" are the most likely to
be a problem, and may, on occasion, become aggressive. Bears
whose range includes agricultural land will consume crops
(especially wheat, oats, and corn in late summer),
beehives and occasionally livestock.
Black bears can be encountered in many
different situations and are generally tolerant of humans
and their activities, preferring to be left alone and undisturbed.
Bears should not be dismissed as harmless, as they should
not be feared; but they should be respected for the danger
they pose. Conflicts develop when people and bears loose
their fear and respect for each other. It is our responsibility
as guests of bear country to
discourage bears from becoming a nuisance or a danger.
Enjoy bear country and remember to play it safe by being
bear smart.
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