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Jun.17,2010Once again Weatherly has a case of the bears! While cute an cuddly in Teddy form the bears around Weatherly are not so friendly. Last year they I witnessed the bear causing a bit of trouble going through trash at Eurana park. The borough has asked residents to take some precautions
- Leave bird feeders down until July when the berry supply is in full swing.
- Put garbage in a can
- Spray garbage (cans and bags) with 50/50 bleach water solution to discourage foraging bears.
The PA Game Commission has some good information on Black Bears. A few tips if you run into a bear from their site:
- Stay calm—If you see a bear and it hasn’t seen you, leave the area calmly. While moving away, talk to help the bear discover your presence.
- Get back—If you have a close encounter, back away slowly while facing the bear. Avoid direct eye contact, which a bear may perceive as a threat. Give the bear plenty of room to escape. Wild bears rarely attack people unless they feel threatened or provoked. If you’re on a trail, step off on the downhill side and slowly leave the area.
- Don’t climb or run—If a cub is nearby, try to move away from it. But be alert, there could be other cubs. Never climb a tree to escape, because sows chase their cubs up trees when they detect danger. If you climb a tree, a sow may interpret that as an attempt to get her cubs. Stay on the ground and don’t make any sudden movements. Running may prompt the bear to give chase; nobody can outrun a bear.
- Pay attention—Bears will use all of their senses to figure out what you are. If they recognize you as a person, some may stand upright or move closer in their efforts to detect odors in the air currents. Don’t consider this a sign of aggression. Once a bear identifies you, it will usually leave. However, if the bear stays, it may pop its jaws as a warning sign that it’s uncomfortable. That’s a sign for you to leave. Back away and slowly leave the area. If the jaw popping warning is ignored, some bears have been known to bluff charge to within a few feet. If this occurs, wave your arms wildly and shout at the bear.
- Fight Back—Again, black bear attacks are extremely rare. However, they have occurred. If a bear attacks, fight back. Bears have been driven away when people have fought back with rocks, sticks, binoculars and even their bare hands.
A copy of Living With Bears can be downloaded here.
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