(KNSI) — Wildlife officials are warning central Minnesota residents that black bears are emerging from hibernation and will soon start looking for food.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says about half of the collared female bears they track are checking in, meaning they’ve come out of their dens, are making ground nests, and are tending to their cubs and the yearlings.
Bear Project Manager Andy Tri told KNSI News he expects to start getting reports of problem bears as soon as they get active. “They don’t wake up super hungry. It takes them a couple of weeks for their metabolism to start to spin up again to what it would be in a normal active time. So, now is the time to start thinking about it. Look around your yard, think about things that might attract bears.”
Tri says the first thing to bring inside is the bird feeder. “A normal tube feeder holds about four or five pounds of bird feed, and that’s something like 7,000 calories just in that little tube there. They’d have to eat something like 20 pounds of blueberries to get anywhere close to that calorie value. So, it’s a no brainer for why they come to that.”
Bears can be a nuisance until the spring berries bloom, which is their natural food source. Other favorite targets include hummingbird feeders, garbage, black oil sunflower seeds, outdoor pet food, and uncleaned grills.
To stay safe, the DNR says to never approach a bear or give it food. Also, avoid leaving food in vehicles because they don’t need a key to get inside and take it. They’re strong enough to just punch out a window or rip off the doors.
The DNR is asking anyone who sees the animal to report the sighting so they can help keep track of them. The animal’s range has been expanding rapidly in the last 15 years, and they are trying to monitor its growth.
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