DNR Gives Tips to Minimize Bear Interactions

(KNSI) – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is giving tips to help minimize interactions with bears after the animals have found their way into neighborhoods in Clearwater and Sartell in recent months.

The DNR says bears need between 12,000 and 20,000 calories a day. In June, they’re eating mostly ants and ant pupae and berries while out in nature. Seeds are another option. A black bear would need to scarf down six to seven pounds of sunflower seeds to hit their daily nutrition needs. They begin to look for other sources of calorie-rich foods, including ones related to human activity.

The DNR says it can’t solve the problem on its own. It relies on a cooperative effort with residents. The agency says bears have keen memories. If they associate your house with a food source for things like bird seed, grill grease, or pet food, they will return to it regularly. Eventually, the promise of food overweighs the bear’s natural aversion to being around human beings.

The DNR says it helps manage the bear population through a hunting season but it does not respond to individual conflicts. It also urges people to keep minimizing bear interactions in mind at their cabin or when camping or using a state park for an event.

For more information, see here.

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