A black bear in the Indigo Wildlife Management Unit of Lane and Douglas counties in a January 2015 photo provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency killed a black bear (not pictured) in Cottage Grove it says was fed by and became comfortable around people.
Courtesy of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Authorities have shot and killed a black bear in Cottage Grove after they say someone fed it and it got too comfortable around people.
Beth Quillian with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the agency learned about the 2-year-old bear about a month ago, when it began walking into town and approaching people, likely hoping for food.
“This bear was not afraid when people approached it,” said Quillian.
ODFW tried to capture it without success. Officials decided to put the bear down after it cornered a woman who was trying to get into her house. The bear then went to sleep on a neighbor’s front porch.
“In the last week or so it began approaching people, which is not good at all,” Quillian said.
Oregon State Police served a local car dealership and one of its employees with a warning last month to stop feeding the bear. Feeding wild bears is illegal.
Authorities say relocation is not generally an option for bears habituated to people, because they tend to repeat their behavior in a new location. They also often return to the place they were captured, some traveling up to 50 miles.
“Understandably people are upset,” Quillian said. “This is not what anyone wants.”
District wildlife biologist Chris Yee agreed, saying, “The actions we had to take were a direct result of people intentionally feeding this bear.”
Habituated bears past the age of a cub are rarely considered candidates for placement in an accredited facility or zoo. There often isn’t space.
ODFW urges Oregonians to respect wildlife and do their part to ensure wildlife can coexist with people. A bear’s strongest sense is smell, and everything from trash to barbecue drippings can attract them.
Bears will also remember where they have found food and sometimes pass the knowledge on to their young.
Wildlife have specialized diets that coincide with seasonal changes. ODFW said food provided by people can negatively affect the health of animals, lead to conflict, and in some cases have fatal consequences.
ODFW has the following tips:
- Never feed or approach bears. Feeding bears, intentionally or unintentionally, will cause them to associate people with food. It is also against the law in Oregon.
- Secure food, garbage and recycling. Take trash out immediately before pickup, not the night before. Wash garbage cans with bleach to reduce their smell.
- Remove bird feeders in bear habitat when bears are active. Bears can eat bird seed leading to habituation.
- Never leave pet food outdoors.
- Clean and store grills after each use.
- Alert neighbors and ODFW to unusual bear activity: for example, repeated sightings during daylight hours and a lack of wariness around people or pets.