Wildlife officials are advising residents and campers to follow safety guidelines when living or camping in bear habitats. Black bears have an exceptional sense of smell, estimated to be about seven times better than a bloodhound, making it crucial to manage attractants around properties.
Recommendations include never feeding or approaching bears, securing garbage and recycling, and removing bird feeders when bears are active. Authorities also suggest not leaving pet food outdoors and cleaning grills and smokers after use. Residents are encouraged to alert neighbors about any bear activity in the area.
For more information on coexistence with bears, officials recommend visiting BearWise at https://bearwise.org/.
