Bear - Education • Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

Summer Travels Can Land Bears in Hot Water

Randy Zellers — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 15:26:52 +0000

LITTLE ROCK — As if on cue, a bear sighting near Rock Creek Monday morning reminded everyone that Arkansas is home to the most successful reintroductions of a large carnivore in history. The Natural State’s bear population is definitely a source of pride for many wildlife enthusiasts here in Arkansas, but it also means the occasional male bear wanders too close to town when on the search for new territory each May and June. Unfortunately, a young bear has a hard time telling the difference between a blackberry thicket and corn feeder or trash can when it comes to finding calorie-rich treats.

“Most of the calls we get about bears getting too close to towns and cities come during a few months in summer and they’re almost always young males,” Myron Means, large carnivore program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said. “They’ve overwintered with their mother twice and now it’s time for them to find new homes.”

According to Means, yearling bears have two life paths after they emerge from dens in spring, based on their sex. Female yearlings will be allowed to stay near their mother, setting up territories adjacent to hers. Males, however, are shown the door and are pushed away to find new homes.

“This prevents inbreeding and promotes expansion of the species,” Means said. “For some of these young males, it’s the first time they will encounter people.”

According to the website Bearwise.org, a site maintained and managed by bear biologists and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, these young bears are much like teenagers striking out on their own for the first time. Most quickly discover that human places should be avoided, but if they find out that your trash bins or wildlife feeders are easy pickings for a snack, they’re liable to set up shop and claim your backyard as their own.

“Probably 90 percent of the bear nuisance calls we get can be handled by simply taking away whatever food source the bear has found,” Means said. “That’s going to be the first thing I tell a landowner when they call. Take away that easy food, and the bear almost always moves on quickly.”

Corn feeders and easily tipped trash cans are obvious targets for inquisitive bears, but other food sources, such as birdfeeders and barbecue grills with uncleaned drip pans also attract these trouble bruins. A full checklist is available at Bearwise.org to help landowners in Arkansas’s bear country prepare for the possibilities.

The few female bears that spur nuisance complaints often are searching for food to keep their weight on while tending to their cubs. Early summer foods like leaves and grasses are not as calorie-rich as berries and acorns that are soon to be abundant in most of the state. During this time, a female may also wander in for a free meal if food is left out for the taking.

“Bears are opportunists, but they’re really not aggressive unless you’ve let them stick around and get comfortable,” Means said. “If you did miss something and they begin to hang around. Remove the food and make sure the bear knows they aren’t welcome in your backyard. It usually doesn’t take much to get them to move on if you do it when they first show up. Most of the times we’ve had to trap and remove bears have been the result of people thinking it was neat to have one around and letting them stay long enough to think they belonged there. That always leads to trouble down the road, not only for the landowner who let a bear stay, but for neighbors and other landowners who then have to deal with a bear that’s lost its fear of humans.”

In addition to being a bad idea, intentionally baiting or feeding bears to attract them to an area is illegal. The only exception to this is from 30 days before bear hunting season begins until it ends. Placing certain wildlife feeders on your property also is illegal if you live in an area at risk for Chronic Wasting Disease, a disease found in deer and elk.

More information about bear awareness and bear safety can be found on the cooperative website www.Bearwise.org.

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CUTLINES:

SODA BEAR

Each May and June, calls begin to pick up concerning bears that have found their way into cities and towns in Arkansas. Bigstock photo.

BEAR IN TREE

Black bears rarely pose any threat to humans, and often shy away from populations when possible. AGFC photo.

BEAR IN TRASH

Leaving trash cans open and full of scraps or other food can be a surefire way to attract bears on the borders of urban populations and bear country. Bigstock photo.

The post Summer Travels Can Land Bears in Hot Water appeared first on Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.

Nuisance Wildlife

Rhen Wilson — Thu, 11 May 2023 20:16:34 +0000

Home / Education / Species / Bear

Nuisance Wildlife

TOPIC

Nuisance Wildlife

Nuisance Wildlife Resources

An expanded partnership between the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services Program will provide a streamlined response to public reports of the occasional wild animal that poses a threat to people, livestock and property. A new nuisance wildlife hotline, 833-345-0315, is available 24 hours a day to provide guidance and assistance.

For added support in managing those animals that may be troublesome, we have created a list of publications and websites that may provide information for your particular problem.

I Want to Hire Someone to Solve My Nuisance Wildlife Problems

Publications

Websites

Arkansas Home Inspectors

How to Control Specific Nuisance Wildlife Problems

Publications

Armadillos and Their Control in Arkansas | UA Division of Agriculture

Websites

Publications

Websites

Capturing a Bat | How to safely and humanely remove unwanted bats that have slipped into your home

Websites

Publications

Websites

Publications

The Double-Crested Cormorant: Issues and Management

Publications

Urban and Suburban Coyotes

Websites

Urban Coyote Research

Publications

Controlling Damage by Giant Canada Geese

Websites

Publications

Iowa State University Extension

Publications

Websites

Mississippi State University Extension | Wild Pig Info

Websites

Managing Raccoon Problems | University of Missouri Extension

Publications

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture | Dealing With Skunks and Odor Abatement

Websites

Woodpeckers: Damage, Prevention and Control

General Nuisance Wildlife Resources

Publications

Rabies in Arkansas | Arkansas Dept. of Health

Websites

Search Education

More on Bear, Deer, Feral Hog, Wildlife Rehabilitation

City Nature Challenge

Wild Science Webinars

Outdoor Adventures

Nuisance Wildlife

Project WILD

The post Nuisance Wildlife appeared first on Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.

Project WILD

Rhen Wilson — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 04:04:24 +0000

Home / Education / Species / Bear

Project WILD

TOPIC

In the Classroom

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Project WILD is an education program rooted in nature that helps educators bring the outdoors to their students. Workshops, offered at no charge, matching state and national teaching standards offer valuable education and lesson plans about the natural world. Materials are available for teachers of any age group, from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Workshop participants learn about the natural world through hands-on experience they can pass on to their students. Our classroom is the outdoors, and the experience is closer to a day at summer camp than a training seminar.

Teachers of all subjects are encouraged to participate. Workshops and courses cover a variety of subject areas, including science, social studies, language arts, mathematics and physical education. And because the workshops are fashioned according to national frameworks, participants will receive professional development credit.

You don’t have to be a traditional educator to learn and teach through Project WILD. Scout leaders, 4-H coordinators, nature camp counselors and other volunteers are welcome to participate. More than 1 million people have been trained at Project WILD workshops throughout the nation.

Bring the WILD life to your students

Educators attending the free, 6-hour workshop receive two activity guides with more than 150 activities matching state and national standards for kindergarten through 12th-grade programs.

Project WILD activity guides are written by teachers, school administrators, wildlife professionals and other educators. Materials are reviewed by science, curriculum, education and environmental experts for accuracy and educational value. Each lesson plan is tested in real classrooms to ensure effectiveness and high-quality student involvement.

AR WILD School Site Program

Project WILD educates students about wildlife, habitats, and the environment. To move students from awareness to action, AGFC’s Project WILD program provides teachers in Arkansas’ public and private schools an opportunity to apply for grant funding to build wildlife habitat on school grounds.

Find a Professional Development Class

Learn more about Conservation Education Grants

Sample Activities

Objectives: Students will classify fish according to body shape and coloration.

Methods: Students design a fish adapted for various aquatic habitats.

Objectives: Students will: (1) identify and describe food, water and shelter as three essential components of habitat; (2) describe factors that influence carrying capacity; (3) define “limiting factors” and give examples; and (4) recognize that some fluctuations in wildlife populations are natural as ecological systems undergo constant change.

Methods: Students portray deer and habitat components in a physical activity.

What: Arkansas Black Bear Workshop (includes a comprehensive black bear curriculum guide)
Who: K-6 Educators (min. 10; max. 30)
Where: Location of your choice
When: Must be scheduled three months in advance
Fee: No charge
Contact: Program Staff to schedule