Do your part to keep bears wild and reduce potential human-wildlife conflicts
Black bears may be present nearly anywhere in Washington, including suburban areas and greenbelts near towns and neighborhoods. Whether you live in Washington, are visiting here on vacation, or traveled here to spend time outdoors, we all have a responsibility to take simple precautions to help avoid conflicts that can put people and wildlife at risk.
Each spring, after many months with no food and water, black bears emerge from winter dens and immediately begin feeding on grass and flowers. Once their digestive system has “woken up” from their winter slumber, they begin their search for more high-calorie meals. It isn’t uncommon to see a bear in developed areas where they are drawn to attractants like garbage cans, pet food, or bird feeders. Bears may also be drawn to fruit trees and berry bushes in your landscaping or garden.
Black bears are naturally wary of humans but can overcome their fear when people reward them (intentionally or unintentionally!) with high-calorie food sources. Did you know they can smell food from over a mile away?
A pound of birdseed provides 1,700 calories, compared to only 600 calories from a pound of blueberries. Imagine how many calories are in your garbage can!
People may be tempted to feed black bears or allow them to forage on their lawn or landscaping, thinking they are helping the bears. The truth is, feeding wildlife can cause more harm than good. Once black bears know about an unnatural food source, they keep coming back and can lose their fear of humans. This is dangerous for both bears and people!
Adult females that become habituated to humans may teach that behavior to their cubs. When cubs grow up reliant on “human food,” they aren’t equipped to survive in the wild. This perpetuates the cycle of human-wildlife conflict instead of allowing those young bears to grow up the way nature intended.
Taking steps to prevent conflicts now can pay dividends in the future.
Never feed black bears, provide them access to unnatural food sources, or allow them to be comfortable around people — this can lead to problems for both bears and people. (Not to mention, it’s against the law!) If an adult bear is habituated to unnatural food sources, even long-distance relocation attempts are rarely successful. Removing human-provided attractants is the best way to encourage bears to focus on natural food sources and lower the chance of human-black bear conflicts.
With both temperatures and black bear activity increasing, we’re asking for your help to secure unnatural food sources and reduce potential black bear encounters. Please take a moment to survey the outside of your home and remove common black bear attractants.
Follow these tips to prevent attracting bears to your home and to avoid negative wildlife interactions this spring:
- Never intentionally feed bears or other backyard wildlife.
- Always keep garbage cans in a garage or a sturdy building until collection day.
- Take down seed, suet, and hummingbird feeders when bears are active in your area. Keep in mind that in some areas of Washington, this could be year-round.
- Clean up fallen fruit from fruit trees and in orchards. Regularly harvest fruit and berries from orchards and gardens.
- Remove pet food from wildlife-accessible areas and feed your pets inside.
- Thoroughly clean barbecue grills after each use and store them in a secure building.
- Properly secure your livestock. Cage and electric fence your domestic fowl and livestock pens. Be sure that livestock shelters have a roof and are fully enclosed, and close all entrances securely overnight.
- Avoid storing food in your car.
If you see a black bear on your property, stay a safe distance away and make as much noise as possible to try to deter it away. Visit the WDFW website for more information on what to do if you encounter a black bear.
Be BearWise® at vacation rentals, too! If you are traveling and staying in a vacation rental, remember that trash pickup may not occur until days after your stay ends. Pack out your garbage and dispose of it at a proper facility. Encourage the property owner to share this guidance with future tenants!
WDFW responds to a variety of situations involving black bears every year, and most are due to human-provided attractants leading to preventable encounters. We often speak with residents or leave a flyer reminding them to secure or remove garbage and other attractants. Remember, feeding or negligently attracting black bears or other large wild carnivores is illegal in Washington under RCW 77.15.790 and other state laws. Secure or remove bear attractants or face fines of up to $1,025.
Washingtonians can reduce conflicts and protect themselves, protect their property, and protect wildlife by securing unnatural food sources. Please visit the WDFW website to learn how you can do your part to keep bears wild.
Visit bearwise.org for more resources and information about living responsibly with bears. Find Washington-specific BearWise® materials on the “Resources” section of our black bear webpage. We encourage you to share this information with your friends, neighbors, and community!
