Our local black bears will emerge from hibernation in early April. Having lost 40- 50% of their body weight (!), they will be famished and will forage widely for natural foods. They are omnivores, with 90% of their natural diet in spring coming from leftover nuts, new plant growth, insects, and occasional scavenging on winter-killed animals.
Compared to the most common human food attractants, the bears' natural foods are very low in calorie density. A pound of insects (ants, grubs, tent caterpillars) holds only 400 calories and takes hours to forage. Nuts and berries hold less than 200 calories per pound, again foraged one nut or berry at a time. Grasses, skunk cabbage, and other plants have very low-calorie densities. Further, these natural foods remain scarce into early summer. Natural foraging takes bears most of the day, every day to reach the daily 2,000-plus calories they need. This is natural and how they evolved over millennia.
Enabling access to human sources changes their behavior because it rewards bears with thousands of calories in mere minutes. The most common sources include trash, birdfeeders, pet/animal feed, grills, compost, chicken coops, and beehives.
COMMON ATTRACTANTS
Trash is the most common attractant. The following trash items yield the following calories: pizza slice/scraps (375); donut (310); 2.5 oz. grab bag of chips/ remains in a potato chip bag (400); half cup of bacon grease or fat drippings in your grill (980); remains in ice cream container (300).
Birdfeeders are the second most common attractant. Each pound contains 2,000 calories: a medium feeder holds 5 pounds or 10,000 calories. This is the equivalent of 17 Big Macs. Hard to believe, but now you know.
Beehives and chicken coops. Although far fewer in The Valley as compared to trash and birdfeeders, these are major bear attractants due to their extremely high reward. Bees, larvae, and honey yield 30,000 to 70,000 calories for a small to medium hive. This equates with 50 to 120 Big Macs. Each chicken yields 700 calories, a dozen eggs another 900, and several cups of chicken feed yield 2,000 more. Protect your chickens and honeybees, and your investment in them, with the only safe method: electric fencing.
WHY ACT?
Because failing to do so causes human/bear conflicts. These are inconvenient and expensive for you and too often worse – fatal – for bears. They will get shot when our inaction makes them "nuisances."
Prevention before bears access human sources is best. Bears are smart. Once rewarded, bears remember and will return, not just to your source, but to ones that look similar at your neighbors' home. Birdfeeders, trash bins, dumpsters, or grills. They look alike.
Be a good neighbor to your neighbors – human and bear – and prevent that access from the start. Share this information, because your neighbors may not realize what you now know.
WHAT TO DO AND WHEN
Bears will emerge from hibernation starting in early April, which makes April 1 a good target date to do the following. Clean trash/recycling bins and secure them, preferably inside. Place ammonia-doused rags on your bins. Take down birdfeeders. Secure pet/animal feed. Clean grills and grease traps. Do not leave food out or unattended.
The Valley has had several dozen recent actual and attempted vehicle entries by bears. But no bear tried to enter a closed and locked car.
The Mad River Valley Bear Initiative will hold a "Bear Fair" in The Valley on Saturday, May 2, in conjunction with Green Valley Rally on Green Up Day. We will have lots of information and demonstrations. More details to come.
But don't wait until then. Act now before bears emerge in early April. Useful and free information to address your specific attractants can be found at BearWise.org, MadRiverBears.org, or the VT Fish & Wildlife page for living with Black Bears at: https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/living-with-wildlife/living-with-black-bears.
Let's keep our bears wild.
Phelon is a member of the Mad River Valley Bear Inititative.
