Bears

Black Bear Nuisance Management and Coexistence

Black bear populations are recovering across North America and encounters with humans are increasing, requiring communities to implement proactive coexistence strategies.

Key Facts

Black bear populations have grown to an estimated 800,000 across North America as habitat has recovered
Approximately 50,000 black bears are killed annually in legal hunts plus additional lethal control events
Bears habituated to human food sources lose their natural wariness becoming dangerous and subject to lethal removal
Bear-resistant garbage containers reduce human-bear conflict by up to 90 percent in tested communities

Welfare Considerations

Bears killed for nuisance behavior are almost always animals that humans have inadvertently conditioned through accessible food sources. Once a bear learns that garbage bird feeders and unsecured food are reliable sources it will return repeatedly regardless of hazing. Lethal removal punishes the bear for human management failures. Community-wide adoption of bear-resistant containers and food security practices prevents conditioning before it occurs.

What You Can Do

Use bear-resistant garbage containers in bear habitat areas
Remove bird feeders from spring through autumn when bears are active
Never leave pet food unsecured outside in bear country
Advocate for community-wide bear-resistant container programs as more effective than individual action alone