HomeMy WebLinkAboutBlack bear article 2023- R Owens
Black Bears in the Town of Danby
Written by Renee Owens of the
Conservation Advisory Committee (CAC)
Welcome to the new
monthly column
highlighting a
different wild
neighbor. We
decided to start with
bears since our local
celebrity, Rupert, has
been making the
news lately;
glimpsed on trail and
porch cameras as he
and his cohorts
forage in their
territory now
inundated with our
homes and roads. No
matter where you
live the most
common reaction to seeing a black bear is excitement. I clearly recall the first time
I ever saw a wild bear; we were camping in the Adirondacks back when “bear
smart” garbage containment had not yet caught on. It was dusk when a mother
with two cubs shuffled by our campsite, to my delight I learned the bears could be
counted on to wander down the campground roads, foraging from one garbage
can to the next. At 6 years old I was an in stant Adirondacks addict, the love of
Nature the area engendered as a child propelled me into exploring remote habitats
and studying wildlife worldwide as an adult.
Black bears are a relatively recent (re)occurrence for Tompkins County. Due
to hunting and massive deforestation, bears were considered virtually extirpated
statewide by the 1930s. Throughout the U.S. their original population range has
been reduced by 40% and no wonder; 90% of adult black bear deaths are due to
gunshots, trapping, and vehicle collisions. A wild bear’s natural life span is
between 20 and 33 years, though most hunted bears are killed at 2 -5 years,
despite it taking 2-9 years for females to reach sexual maturity, males 3 -4 years.
However, thanks to reintroduction efforts and renewed stewardship of our
forests, black bears are again an exciting part of upstate New York’s wildlife
viewing opportunities.
Culturally our bruin legacy never left; bears have forever been respected
icons in most Native American tribes. Tribes of the Algonquin and Seneca (where
“nyagwai” means bear) have bear Clans specializing in healing, strength, and
maternal wisdom. Various northwestern tribes consider eating bear taboo, and a
vision of a bear is considered a powerful good omen.
We’ve learned a lot about black bears since the days of Teddy Roosevelt (for
whom our stuffed toy bears are ironically named, considering he killed hundreds
for trophies in his lifetime). Current researchers consider black bears intellectual
equals with apes and dolphins, noting they are much more social than once
believed; displaying complex relationships between unrelated bears within
territories governed by matriarchal females. Black bears are considered the least
aggressive of all the world’s bear speci es, exemplified by how many millions of
times they have crossed our paths with no injury or personal mishap.
A diet of 85% vegetative matter means black bears spend much of their lives
ranging far and wide to satisfy a broad palate that includes seeds, roots, leaves,
flowers, stems, berries, grasses, mushrooms, and insects. Fear of black bears
comes with many myths, including the idea that black bear mothers defend their
cubs from humans (they don’t), or that they cannot change their habits once they
learn to raid garbage cans or birdfeeders (they can change behavior with
persistence from us). Your chances of a b lack bear encounter resulting in bodily
harm is less likely than being struck by lightning. Still, to be good stewards of our
hungry neighbors we must be diligent in our path to coexistence. For instance,
studies show that hunting can increase bear-human conflicts by opening up
territories for less experienced juveniles to explore. What does reliably reduce
unwanted interactions is persistence in minimizing access to attractants and
providing chunks of unfragmented habitat with wildlife road crossings.
The study of bear behavior inevitably intersects with human behavior: we
consistently see our nature reflected back to us in their fates. We have the bigger
brains, but will our response to their proximity be enlightened, or intolerant? As
Gandhi famously said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be
judged by the way its animals are treated”. So far I am grateful I live where my
neighbors have expressed appreciation and tolerance for Rupert and his relatives.
For some great tips on safety and reducing attractants, see the bear smart flyer on
the Town of Danby website.