As such, garbage is the most abundant and widely distributed attractant available to bears. If a bear approaches you in the wild, it is likely only trying to assess your presence. Officials in the city of Dixon, Kentucky, are advising the community to be cautious after a bear was spotted in the area. "They're very good at kind of taking advantage of what we call those unsecured attractants," she said about unattended food. Immediately call the KDFWR and report the offense. Today, they are considered a threatened species in Kentucky and are protected by state regulations. Raccoons are opportunistic feeders and are known to raid trash cans, gardens, and even pet food bowls in search of food. ONE person feeding bears will create a problem animal that may affect multiple neighborhoods. Conservation officers and biologists advise the public to never approach or feed a bear. Injuries to pets by black bears are not a common occurrence in Kentucky. Interactions between humans and bears have increased over the last four years, with more people reporting bears foraging for food and entering homes, city officials said. It is suspected that growing bear numbers in McCreary County are the likely result of population expansion from the BSF in Tennessee, which was home to an experimental release of 14 female bears from Great Smoky Mountains National Park from 19961997. Chief Communications Officer Kevin Kelly tells the News Edge the bear was sighted near Dixon after biologists confirmed bear tracks in southern Henderson County earlier this week. Any sightings of this bear should be immediately reported either to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife by calling 1-800-858-1549 during business hours, or to local law enforcement. The most successful measures to alleviate human-bear conflicts must, therefore, be proactive and be put into effect before a problem develops. After spring emergence, the mother will run off the yearling bears as she comes into estrus and prepares for the new breeding season. With a population of over a million, white-tailed deer are a common sight for both residents and visitors to the state. After females are bred in June, the fertilized eggs remain in a state of arrested development and are not implanted in the uterus until the fall. So, they tend to make a loop and end up where they started.. It's coming directly at you. All rights reserved. There are no grizzly bears in Kentucky. Litters are produced every other year and cubs generally weigh only 816 ounces at birth. The bear's sighting isn't a cause for alarm but a time for residents to prepare to avoid negative interactions with the animal if it does cross into Indiana, said Brad Westrich, a nongame mammalogist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Feeding bears is absolutely the worst thing that people can do to ensure a bears death. In their travels, young bears may also be lured by the smell of human-related foods. He points out these bears get pushed out of the area by older, dominant males, and may wander up to several weeks or more into unfamiliar territory in search of good habitat and prospective mates before they return to the mountains where they were raised. Bears are incredible diggers- irregularities in terrain should be filled in with heavy debris so as to prevent bears from crawling under low points. The copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a venomous snake that is common in Kentuckys woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife has confirmed that the bear has been spotted north of Prospect, Kentucky. Long-term monitoring and ongoing research has identified the core population as concentrated along the Pine, Cumberland, and Black Mountain areas within in Harlan, Letcher, and Pike counties. Black bears are known for their stocky bodies, shaggy coats, and iconic crescent-shaped ears. WHITLEY COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - A black bear was recently spotted in a Whitley County neighborhood. They are known for their playful behavior and are a popular sight at bird feeders in many Kentucky homes. "The intent is to show the state that the policies in place are not working for Sierra Madre," City Manager Jose Reynoso said. (AP) A black bear that's been spotted in northern Kentucky may venture into Indiana by taking a swim across the Ohio River, state wildlife officials say. In addition to contributing to the likely death of that bear, you are also breaking the law. Tasha was roaming around in MarchRogers said, but then we had an unusually warm March. Notify the KDFWR immediately if you witness aggressive behavior by black bears! Also, when in bear country, look up. In the fall, a diet of hard mast composed of acorns and beechnutsallows thebears to put on extraordinary fat reserves that enable not only survivalbut cub production, during the denning season. OREGON: Record-breaking Bull Trout Reeled in by Lucky Angler, Louisiana Wild Animals Lookout: Best Places to See Wildlife Down South. Unless garbage is properly stored another bear will move in and the problem will start all over again. With its diverse landscapes and abundant natural areas, there is a little bit of everything here. The latest spotting happened on Wednesday in Sightings in Kentucky are relatively rare, but they are a thrilling sight for nature enthusiasts who are fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures in the wild. The best thing to do is identify the attractant and remove the source. 1 talking about this. Another bear showed Currently, black bears are the most abundant and widespread of all eight bear species in the world. CALDWELL COUNTY, Ky. (KFVS) - Photos show an apparent bear sighting near Princeton, Kentucky. John Hast, bear program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, says with a little luck, you can see a bear on the Little Shepherd Trail, a winding mountain roadway that runs from Whitesburg to Kingdom Come State Park. Bears were also spotted last summer in Louisville. But the chances of seeing an American black bear in Kentucky are increasing, especially in eastern and southeastern Kentucky, according to John Hast, bear program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the state agency charged with conserving, protecting and enhancing the states wildlife. All rights reserved. Copyright 2021 KFVS. Whether you explore forests, recreation areas, wildlife management areas, state or national parks, or rural roads, be sure to practice responsibility. There is almost always a safe escape route when bears enter towns. To report a bear sighting in your area call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife at 800-858-1549 or email Info.Center@ky.gov. Black Bear sighting reported in Caldwell county, continues Black bears prefer to avoid humans, and removing potential food sources goes a long way to prevent negative interactions.. Store birdfeed inside or in a sturdy, enclosed structure. They can also be hard to see in tall grass. Bury or move dead livestock away from living animals as carcasses will attract bears and other predators., Locate bee yards away from forest edges and riparian areas (river bottoms, creek drainages).. Without any negative stimuli, that bear will become increasingly conditioned to human food and bolder in its attempts to acquire those items. Officials with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife have confirmed reports a black bear was spotted in Webster County Wednesday. In a recent news release, state biologists confirmed reports of bear tracks in Princeton last Monday, a bear sighting near Dixon on Wednesday and a sighting in The heaviest wild black bear ever reliably documented was an 880-pound, 10-year old male that was harvested on the coast of North Carolina in the fall of 1998. Black bears are wide-ranging and relatively long lived animals. Eastern box turtles are known to have a long lifespan, with some individuals living for over a century. Get in touch. Bears have a bit of built-in physiological magic, according to Hast. Let it go about its business and soon enough it will be gone.. Go online to fw.ky.gov and search under the key words, black bear, or click here. Residents and visitors to Kentucky need to be responsible, so negative behaviors in bears are not encouraged. Emerging from dens weighing only 510 pounds, cubs have less than one year to learn the necessary skills to ensure their survival as solitary yearlings. Bears wandered back into Kentucky after wildlife officials moved bears to nearby areas of Virginia and Tennessee, making homes in forests that grew up on areas Hoosier Democrats, Republicans and insiders talk candidly about issues, the Indiana Statehouse and everything in between on Indiana Week In Review from WFYI Public Media. Female black bears typically reach sexual maturity at three years of age, depending upon their physical condition. He said, in his opinion, the bear could be from Illinois. of Fish and Wildlife Resources. They are known for their excellent sense of smell and are often attracted to human food sources, such as garbage cans and bird feeders. Consequently, bears that filtered into Kentucky from our Southern Appalachian neighbors had access to large, remote tracts of quality forest habitat. Along with the opportunity to see one of these iconic animals comes the responsibility to be bear wise. These nocturnal creatures are known for their masked faces and ringed tails. Don't Leave! The important thing to remember when dealing with nuisance behaviors, however, is that problem bears are not born- they are a product of their environment. No! When they emerge from dens, natural foods are scarce and often bears are lured by the smell of human-related foods. David Oppenheimer was relaxing in a chair outside his home when he turned to see something startling. So, a young male, they typically get kicked out of the breeding range. If you do see a black bear, keep a safe distance. There, you can encounter white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, eastern gray squirrels, and other wildlife species. But these wild animals might be more hungry than the average houseguest. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife maintains an extensive amount of information about black bears on its website. They are excellent climbers and are often seen scaling trees or exploring for food along riverbanks. Lynn Reynolds, chief biologistand founder of the North American Bear Center and the Wildlife Research Center in Ely, Minnesotais delving into the issue after Tashabecame an ambassador (captive) bear in Minnesotawhenshe was orphanedafterher mother was killedby a truck. There is no reason that you should ever be within 150 feet of a bear. Additionally, costs associated with the installation of an electric fence can be minimal when compared to potential losses in money by the destruction of honey and bees. Surround bee yards with at least 2 strands of electric fencing, with the lowest wire no more than 15 inches from the ground. In years of poor acorn production, however, females may not be able to store adequate fat reserves and reproduction can be significantly decreased. The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a fascinating reptile that can be found in Kentuckys woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. Since January, there have been a dozen calls related to bears, including five in which bears tried to set up a den in a homes crawl space, Amos said. Would you want a bear like that coming around your house? WebTo date, the largest bear handled in Kentucky was a 480-pound adult male that was captured as a research animal during the summer of 2008. The eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is a familiar and charismatic mammal found throughout Kentuckys woodlands and urban areas. During the spring and summer months, bears in the Southern Appalachians feed primarily on grasses and fruit, suchas blackberries, blueberries, and huckleberries. These venomous snakes are known for their distinctive pattern of light and dark bands on their bodies, which provide excellent camouflage in their natural habitats. Bear sightings are on the rise in Kentucky. Photos of the bear in Caldwell County, Kentucky were taken fight or actually fight with another bear. Although black bears are generally secretive towards people, they can become extremely tolerant in the presence of concentrated food sources. The bear will again expect to be fed because you have taught it to associate people with food. Since 2015, the state agency has confirmed three black bears in the Hoosier state. Even so, there have been a handful of bear attacks in recent years. Webster County Dispatch told 44News they got their first call about the bear around 11 a.m., about an hour after the first photo of the bear was shared on Facebook. Currently, black bears are the most abundant and widespread of all eight bear species in the world. Here are six of the most common wild animals found in the Bluegrass State. 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