black bear sightings in kentuckyblack bear sightings in kentucky

For the last few months, several individuals in various areas of Perry County, including within Hazard city limits, have experienced black bear sightings. According to Kelly, there are expanding bear populations in both eastern Kentucky as well as the Ozarks region of Missouri. 2. State and local officials broke ground Monday on a $3.7 billion Eli Lilly manufacturing facility in Boone County. Without any negative stimuli, that bear will become increasingly conditioned to human food and bolder in its attempts to acquire those items. Black bears are known for their stocky bodies, shaggy coats, and iconic crescent-shaped ears. So please, encourage your neighbors to follow these important precautions. It is an ideal location to spot a wide range of animals. Driving along country roads during early morning or late evening hours can offer sightings of white-tailed deer grazing in fields, raccoons scavenging for food, or wild turkeys foraging along the roadside. According to Hast, an uptick in bear sightings is actually pretty normal this time of year. Direct or indirect feeding of black bears is illegal in Kentucky!. Data collected by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) clearly illustrate that most conflicts result from intentional feeding, or access to other human-related sources such as garbage, pet food, livestock feed, and birdfeeders. Cubs grow rapidly as their diet consists exclusively of high-calorie and fat-rich milk provided by the mothers fat reserve from the previous winters hard mast consumption. These graceful creatures are known for their distinctive white tail and reddish-brown coat. Collectively, female bears den before males, and pregnant females or those with offspring den before solitary females. 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 logged earlier. Food-conditioned bears live considerably shorter lives than wild bears. The department said these sightingsfollow other recent reports in the region. Bears were also spotted last summer in Louisville. Do not toss food scraps outside to feed pets; this is a strong lure for bears. In addition to contributing to the likely death of that bear, you are also breaking the law. Black bear family in trash - Photo by Dave Huff. The same applies to a bear that enters a home. Contrary to some beliefs, however, todays growing population is not the result of a restocking effort. Send us your best photos for a chance to be featured. The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a familiar sight in Kentuckys woods and fields. The copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a venomous snake that is common in Kentuckys woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. A young male American black bear took a stroll through the University of Kentucky last year and continued his trip into downtown Lexington. Officials with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife have confirmed reports a black bear was spotted in Webster County Wednesday. This is why fall food abundance prior to denning, primarily in the form of acorns, is critical for black bears in the Southern Appalachians. Eastern Kentucky is the most likely place to spot a bear, although Hast says he would not be surprised to see a bear in any county. Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/92.0.4515.159 Safari/537.36. Celebrating the energy of your community. Mother bear and cubs - Photo by Dave Maehr. Currently, black bears are the most abundant and widespread of all eight bear species in the world. There, you can encounter white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, eastern gray squirrels, and other wildlife species. 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).. These areas are carefully managed to provide habitats for various wildlife species like white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, and other mammals. The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a large and iconic game bird that is native to Kentuckys forests and grasslands. Chief Communications Officer Kevin Kelly Black bears prefer to avoid humans, and removing potential food sources goes a long way to prevent negative interactions.. When bears have ready access to human-related foods, two behavioral situations can arise that seriously affect the potential for future nuisance activity- food conditioning and habituation. Exercise caution and drive safely, as wildlife can sometimes cross roads unexpectedly. Black bears are very curious animals and this should not be confused with aggression. Careful maintenance of barbeque grills is an overlooked precaution that will prevent unwanted visits by bears and other wildlife. 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. Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife He also had advice for anyone who happens to spot the animal. Its not pandemic related, said John Hast with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. They have conducted other studies to collect hair samples, which are used to study bear genetics. This is actually for the benefit forher young, as adult males will often kill smaller bears during the breeding season. And like the early pioneers, we have a choice to make.. Since that time, there has been a slight but steady increase in the number of males in each litter. Notify the KDFWR immediately if you witness aggressive behavior by black bears! The black bear (Ursus americanus) is a large and powerful mammal that is native to Kentuckys forests and mountains. Male black bears are known to wander great distances, Morgan said. Keep your distance. Doing so will not only help us keep bears wild in Kentucky, but it just may save a bears life. In the last decade, four "bear-human interactions" in and around the city limits have been reported, according to James Carlson, a city analyst. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife maintains an extensive amount of information about black bears on its website. Females with offspring remain together throughout the second winter, and they again den as a family unit. Kentucky is home to a growing bear population that offers frequent and widespread viewing opportunities in the wild. Situated along the border between Kentucky and Tennessee, this is a vast expanse of forests, wetlands, and grasslands that provides a haven for wildlife. Another bear showed Clear growing vegetation away from the lowest as this will ensure a closed circuit and render maximum charge upon contact with the fence. Do not leave garbage on a deck or porch, even if it is screened; doing so will only result in a bear on your deck or a torn screen. The black bear (Ursus americanus) is a large and powerful mammal that is native to Kentuckys forests and mountains. The black bear (Ursus americanus) is a large and powerful mammal that is native to Kentuckys forests and mountains. 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. While variant color phases may exist, bears are typically black with a brown muzzle and may exhibit a white patch on their chest. You can find more information on bears here. These bushy-tailed rodents are known for their acrobatic leaps from tree to tree and their habit of burying nuts to eat during the winter months. 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. The results of this work will be published soon. Those bears often die prematurely as a result of vehicle collision, poaching, or euthanasia due to unacceptable behaviors around people. Unfortunately, those sources are almost always a direct byproduct of human-related foods. While black bears are often referred to as hibernating during the denning period, this is actually not the case. Bear sightings in Sierra Madre have increased in recent years, and city officials say they want the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to change its approach to dealing with the wild animals in the foothill community. 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. He says its not unusual in the early summer for young male bears to wander well outside of their established bear range in eastern Kentucky. If a bear approaches you in the wild, it is likely only trying to assess your presence. Nuisance behaviors learned as a cub will often stay with that bear for life. While there have been other studies, Alston says this was the first to encompass what biologists believe to be the entire range of this population of bears. Offspring remain with their mother for the entire year after birth and generally throughout the second denning season. 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. Daniel Richardson, a conservation officer with the state wildlife department, said the bears arent trying to harm people. Wild turkeys are known for their strong flying ability and keen senses, making them a challenging game species for hunters. If you see those behaviors you are too close! These situations generate serious public safety concerns, however, when viewers encroach upon bears and leave no obvious path of escape. David Oppenheimer was relaxing in a chair outside his home when he turned to see something startling. If you feed animals outside, make sure to not leave any food behind that might entice the bear. Conservation officers and biologists advise the public to never approach or feed a bear. In Kentucky, historical accounts indicate that bears were Whether you explore forests, recreation areas, wildlife management areas, state or national parks, or rural roads, be sure to practice responsibility. A black bear that was first confirmed last week in Henderson has now made its way south, through Webster County and Caldwell County into rural Hopkins County, following a reported sighting on Wednesday night in the Dunn Church area north of Dawson Springs and another on Thursday morning near Ilsley. Dustin Wilcox is a television production student at Murray State University. ONE person feeding bears will create a problem animal that may affect multiple neighborhoods. In Kentucky, females typically enter dens from mid-November to December. She roams around,climbs trees,swims in the pond,and finds natural food, he said. Officials with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife have confirmed reports a black bear was spotted in Webster County Wednesday. Black bears den for the winter months and typically emerge in late March or early April. Females with offspring generally emerge from dens in March or April. So, a young male, they typically get kicked out of the breeding range. According to CAMC, the sighting happened near Chesterfield Avenue in the area of the CAMC LabWorks, Gastroenterology, and new Center for Learning and Research. When the acorns drop this fall, theyll want to be in a naturally wooded area which is what eastern Kentucky has, Hast said. Getting too close to a bear may cause the bear to see you as a threat. HOPKINS COUNTY, Ky. (WEHT) Another bear sighting has been confirmed in western Kentucky, according to State Fish & Wildlife officials. Following these guidelines will significantly reduce the potential for human-bear conflicts at your residence. 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