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Whoa bear!

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 8:00 AM

Welcome to bear country!

Alaska is a state full of bears: black bears, brown bears, and way up north, polar bears. Here in Juneau, we’re accustomed to walking up on black bears during hikes or while camping, and even having them lumber through our yards and downtown.

However, our bears are having a tough time right now because they’re being habituated to human behavior, resulting in their being either drugged and transferred to a wilderness area or euthanized.

“A fed bear is a dead bear.”

Black bears become habituated to human food; if we make it easy for them to get into trash, or worse, if we feed them directly, they lose the motivation to walk away and forage for their usual food. Their powerful sense of smell can locate food over a long distance. Worse, when bears find human food or are purposely fed, they become too comfortable around people, and can quickly become aggressive. Sadly, two local black bears were euthanized recently as they had become aggressive to locals and visitors and were getting into unsecured trash cans. Efforts to shoo them along failed. Also, we have reports of visitors getting close to bears for photos, and even feeding them snacks. Yikes!!

Remember that bears are wild. You’re not looking at a domestic animal that will snuggle like your Golden Retriever. Also, bears are surprisingly fast; you may think you can get away, but a bear will charge and outrun you every time.

So how do you respond in the right way when you see a bear, especially in downtown Juneau?

  • Never offer a bear food; you’re adding to the problem of habituated bears who will end up being euthanized.
  • Skip the bear selfie. As much as possible, and as hard as this sounds, IGNORE THE BEAR.
  • Never corner a bear. Give bears plenty of space: back away from it and leave plenty of room and access for the bear to leave on its own. As soon as you’re clear, walk away.
  • Talk in a normal voice to the bear and with your traveling companions. If you’re hiking, keep up a running conversation so the bear knows you’re there.
  • Dispose of food trash in a bear-secure container.
  • No food or drinks, other than plain water, are allowed in the Mendenhall Glacier area from May through September. You can find the rules and other information here.

These are just a few things you can do to enjoy Juneau’s bears and keep them from being euthanized. For more information on bears in Alaska, and proper ways to respond, go to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game’s pages on bear identification and how to live in bear country.