ELLIJAY, Ga. – With warmer weather arriving, the Appalachia Georgia Friends of the Bears (AGFOB) group reminds the public that black bears are emerging from their dens. Adult males, subadults, and mothers with yearlings have already begun foraging for food. Sows with cubs of the year are also beginning to emerge and will continue to do so through early May.
Items such as birdseed, hummingbird feeders, pet food, livestock food, grills, smokers, fish cookers, and wildlife feeders can lure bears into residential areas. The AGFOB emphasizes the importance of securing these potential food sources to guard against potentially dangerous bear encounters.
“Two-thirds of human-bear conflict is because of bears having access to garbage,” states the AGFOB. Intentional or unintentional feeding can habituate bears to approach homes and humans for food. Feeding bears can also destroy their teeth and digestive tracts, resulting in a slow and painful death. The AGFOB says members have personally seen this with vehicle-bear mortalities.
The AGFOB recommends storing garbage in a sturdy building or bear-resistant container until collection day. Regularly cleaning garbage cans and rinsing out food and drink residue are also crucial to minimizing attractants. The longer garbage sits in the heat, the stronger its scent will be, and the farther it will travel on the wind.
The Appalachia Georgia region, which includes the mountains of North Georgia, is home to approximately 3,000 black bears.
For more information on reducing human-bear conflict, visit BearWise.org and agfriendsofthebears.com.
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