From a recent Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks press release . . .
FWP bear managers are asking residents in northwest Montana to secure garbage, pet food and other attractants in light of recent conflicts in the Whitefish area. Bear and Lion Specialist Erik Wenum notes that several black bears have been accessing unsecured garbage particularly in the Lion Mountain and Whitefish State Park Road areas.
“If residents secure garbage it would take care of most of our problems there,” says Wenum. He advises the following:
- Secure garbage inside a garage or secure shed
- Bring pet food in at night
- Clean up livestock food
- Bring in bird feeders, clean up spilled seed
When bears access garbage they can become food conditioned and can potentially be dangerous. Wildlife biologists usually have to kill food conditioned bears in the interest of public safety.
For information or to report a problem, call:
Erik Wenum, FWP Bear and Lion Specialist; 756-1776.
See also:
Black bears ‘pour down’ on western Montana valleys for apples, berries (Missoulian)
Hungry bears create problems across Flathead (Daily Inter Lake)