A local wildlife expert said residents should remove outdoor food attractants following a series of bear sightings in the Upper Cumberland region.
TWRA Wildlife Information Specialist Mime Barnes said it is common for young bears to be seen this time of year as they head out on their own for the first time to find food, water, and shelter. Barnes said it is paramount humans do not try to feed the bears.
“It’s important because we don’t want bears to associate humans with food,” Barnes said. “That also can create a dangerous situation and we want bears to remain wild, so we don’t want… we want them to eat natural foods. We don’t want them to be attracted to human foods.”
Barnes said these bears often follow their noses and are not always sure which direction they are heading, which leads them to cross paths with humans.
Barnes said residents should wait until the morning of pickup to put out trash and should harvest ripe vegetables like tomatoes from gardens immediately. Barnes said other common attractants that should be secured in a shed or garage include grills and bird feeders.
“One: never follow a bear,” Barnes said. “It can create a dangerous situation. And a lot of people want to have a photograph or see the bear more closely, but we ask if you know a bear’s in that area, don’t seek it out. Don’t follow it.”
Barnes said anyone who encounters a bear while hiking or in a neighborhood should slowly back away from the animal. Barnes said making loud noises is an effective way to encourage a bear to move in the opposite direction.
“Loud noises tend to get bears moving in an opposite direction of humans and that’s what we want,” Barnes said. “We want bears to keep that healthy respect of humans.”
Barnes said even small items like hummingbird feeders can unknowingly attract various types of wildlife including raccoons, foxes, and coyotes. Barnes said the website Bearwise.org serves as a primary resource for the public to learn how to safely live and camp in areas where bears are present.
“Just remember anything that could be an attractant for wildlife, not just bears, but try and remove those this time of year and it’ll keep wildlife safe and it’ll keep humans safe,” Barnes said.