Dubuque residents should stay ‘bear aware’ city officials say

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - Dubuque city officials say residents should be “bear aware” amid reports of a black bear roaming northeast Dubuque since early May.

In a press release, officials said the city is working with the Iowa DNR, the Dubuque County Conservation Board, and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department to monitor the bear’s movement.

The bear has reportedly focused on eating seed, pet food and garbage.

“To encourage it to move along, people in the area need to remove the easy meals - put away bird seed, put away barbeque drip pans, and keep pet food and garbage in places bears can’t access,” said Curt Kemmerer, wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR. “Once the food is gone, the bear will move on to natural food sources out of town.”

City officials provided the following tips to discourage the bear from staying in the area:

• If a bear repeatedly enters your yard, determine what attractants are drawing it there and remove them.
• Store garbage in a sturdy building and put it out on the day of pick-up, not the night before.
• Do not leave pet food out. Removing bird feeders is best, but if feeders must be out, they should be at least 10 feet high and 5 feet from the trunk of a tree.
• Keep barbeques clean and grease free, or place in a shed or the garage. Do not put meat, fish and other pungent scraps in compost piles. Add powder-form agricultural lime to reduce odors and accelerate decomposition.

Kemmerer recommended slowly, cautiously backing away from the bear while facing it if you encounter the bear. It’s also recommended to make noise, so the bear knows you’re there.

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