ARKANSAS, USA — Officials are giving advice as bear sightings rise in Arkansas.
Keith Stephens, Chief of Communications with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said Spring is the time of year the commission receives more calls about bear sightings in towns. He says this is completely normal as young yearlings are just now separating from their mother bears.
“She's going to breed again and get pregnant, so she'll have you know a new set of Cubs to take care of very shortly it's time for the kids to get out,” said Stephens. “like humans, it's time for the teenagers to get out, go to college, get a job, bears are the same way.”
According to a press release, “female bears will spend two winters with their cubs: the first when they are newborns, and the second as adolescents. In their second year, female cubs will be allowed to stay in a portion of their mother’s territory, but male bears are forced away to find a new home on their own.”
“Usually they're looking for an easy meal like in a trash can or open containers of dog food things of that nature,” said Stephens.
Stephens says not to approach the bears if they do enter a residential area. He explained the young bears would eventually leave on their own but following them could complicate the situation.
“We have problems with more people watching and keeping them in the tree than letting them come down,” said Stephens. “A lot of time pets will get after them. That scares them they'll run up a tree, well they're not going to come down until they feel comfortable”
With Spring arriving, Stephens says it could be possible to see the bear in the wild, but not likely. He explained bears may seem scary, but the bears are often more scared than humans.
“The best thing you can do is just make a lot of noise to scare them off. They're going to run back, they're going to run away. They don't want to be around you so that's all you got to do,” said Stephens. “It's nothing to be afraid of. I mean you get to see a black bear, which is a rare sighting in Arkansas, so just enjoy it but just keep your distance.”
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