The Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area in San Bernadino County, California, is again on high alert after reports of bear sightings.
The latest alert comes after bears were sighted in the area in April 2024. The ravenous creatures had just come out of hibernation and couldn't resist nicking the picnic baskets and snacks of campers. Some had tried to break into cars. After officials relocated the "troublesome bears," they returned this year.
In a social media post proclaiming "sightings have increased," officials warned campers not to approach any bears, to secure any food, and not leave any trash behind for the bears to poke at.
The post included some sage advice for those who encounter bears: make yourself big and make noise but don't run. With a top speed of 30 miles an hour, even a prime Usain Bolt would be toast if he ever tried to outrun a bear on clear terrain.
Luckily, it's actually very rare for a black bear to show aggression toward a human. There have been just 66 recorded fatal attacks since 1794. While most other bear species are more dangerous, black bears are more likely to turn tail and run than harm a person.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, there are around 50,000-85,000 bears in the state, and they've been getting around quite a bit in recent years. In 2021, there were reports of bears showing up in urban areas, and experts' predictions, per ABC News, that this would become more common proved prescient.
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Droughts, habitat loss, and wildfires are among the main drivers of these unusual ursine migrations. With food becoming increasingly scarce in their natural habitat, the bears are forced to forage over wider areas. They are extremely food-motivated, and with the most powerful schnoz in the animal kingdom, they can sniff out snacks from up to two miles away.
While this all sounds kind of cute, bears feeding on human grub is a serious problem. As the California Department of Fish and Wildlife warns: "If a black bear becomes habituated to humans or food conditioned, they may become increasingly bold or destructive. Cubs that are conditioned to food by their mothers will also grow up to become conflict adults, continuing the cycle of conflict across generations."
Accordingly, it's important for campers to secure their food with bear-resistant canisters, pick up after themselves, and reduce waste.
Bears are, in the words of the National Parks Service, "ecosystem engineers." Their scat helps spread seeds, and their penchant for salmon helps spread marine-derived nitrogen in the surrounding area. Keeping their numbers and habitat stable will help prevent future conflicts with humans.
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