(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - In Southeast Alaska and points beyond, word has it that bears are waking and starting to move. And that can mean only one thing: It’s time for Alaskans to assume their best “bear aware” behavior.

The Alaska Dept of Fish and Game Division of Wildlife Conservation's Dirctor Bruce Dale of the Region I Ketchikan office is reminding residents the bears will be waking up and leaving their dens any day now.

Quoting a news release from Dale, it’s that time of year to take down bird feeders. Bird feeders typically turn into bear feeders, seed and suet draws bears to homes in early spring, so those attractants should be removed and stored until late fall.

According to Dale, bears that associate homes and people with food, often return. Feeding bears, even unintentionally, is illegal. Leaving attractants out, be it in the city or Borough, can result in fines.

Some tips provided by Dale to keep in mind as bears wake up and become active include:

Garbage:

• Store trash inside building or in bear-proof containers; keep secure until the day of scheduled pickup. Use ratchet straps to secure the lid. Encourage neighbors to do the same.

Electric fences:

• Electric fences can keep bears out of chicken coops, gardens, compost, away from buildings and domestic animals. For more information contact your area department office or visit the departments webpage http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livingwithbears.bearfences

Barbecues:

• Clean Barbecues, especially grease traps after each use.

Pets:

• Feed pets indoors or clean up excess and spilled food between meals. Store pet food, livestock/fish food and birdseed indoors, or in bear resistant containers.

Freezers:

• Keep freezers locked and in secure building or otherwise out of bears’ reach

Gardens:

• Plant gardens in the open, away from cover and game trails. Only compost raw vegetable matter and turn over compost frequently.

Incidents of bears frequenting neighborhoods or other populated areas, getting into trash, showing aggression, or related concerns should be reported to the nearest Department of Fish and Game office during regular business hours; if the situation involves an immediate public safety concern, contact the Alaska State Troopers.

Enjoy the season of the bears and respect their territory. Be bear aware.

To learn more about coexisting with bears, visit www.alaskabears.alaska.gov.

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Division of Wildlife Conservation - Region I, Ketchikan Area Office
www.adfg.alaska.gov

 

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

SitNews ©2018
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.