Living With Bears

Things You Need to Know

Every fall, bears are eating ravenously. To put on enough fat to last through winter hibernation, they may spend 20 hours a day eating and consume up to 20,000 calories daily. Bears emerging from dens after hibernation have not eaten in several months; they are hungry and determined to find food. This means that from spring through fall, a bear’s primary goal is to eat.

Bears are thought to have one of the best senses of smell in the animal kingdom, smelling food from at least a mile away, and traveling long distances to explore food sources. Although bears prefer their natural foods, some may overcome their natural fear of humans if their search for food is rewarded with unsecured trash, high-calorie pet food, or greasy barbecue grills. These human-related food sources often contain more calories than the berries, seeds, and insects they would be eating in their natural environment. When bears continually exploit these resources in and around areas with human activity, they are likely to become a public safety concern.

LIVING WITH Bears

In Arizona, black bears are primarily found in higher-elevation (4,000-10,000 ft) woodland and forested regions containing a variety of habitats, including subalpine and montane conifer forests, riparian forests, evergreen and oak woodlands, chaparral, and desert scrub. People often inadvertently create conflicts by building homes or recreating in black bear habitat and providing them with access to human-related food sources.

Bears often walk through neighborhoods in their search for food; this is natural bear behavior. If people have stored their food and garbage properly, a bear will likely keep on going. However, bears that get unnatural food in neighborhoods may eventually lose their fear of people, which can be a risk to public safety. This close contact puts both humans and bears at risk.

Even though bears have a cute and cuddly image, they can be dangerous. Conflicts between humans and bears are almost always preventable. Signs of bear activity include large tracks with claw marks (the hind print is somewhat like a human’s footprint), somewhat round droppings usually with a noticeable amount of seeds, digging, large overturned rocks and logs, and garbage from dumpsters or cans scattered good distances.

DESCRIPTION AND HABITS

• Fur color varies, including black, brown, cinnamon, and dark blond
• Weighs 125-400 pounds in Arizona with males being larger than females
• 3 to 3 ½ feet tall when on all four feet
• 5 to 6 feet long, with a short, inconspicuous tail
• Produces 2 to 3 cubs between Dec. and early Feb. and exits the den with them in mid-April to early May
• Young disperse during their second spring with males dispersing longer distances than females
• Lives up to 25 years in the wild
• Most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular) but may become more nocturnal in areas with human activity
• Eats primarily seeds, berries, insects, and cactus fruits but also eat carrion and other animals
• Must put on a lot of weight in preparation for hibernation
• Threatened or stressed adults will make sounds, including woofing, hissing, popping of teeth, and grunting

For more details about bears visit the black bear species page.

Possible Conflicts With Humans

Most human-bear conflicts are the result of people unintentionally feeding bears, most often by allowing them access to household/campsite garbage, bird feeders, or pet food. They raid dumpsters, garbage cans, grills, and campsites looking for an easy meal.

Fed bears can lose their fear of humans and begin to associate humans with food, sometimes causing property damage and even injuring people. They might enter a building by breaking screen doors and windows to look for food they smell. Although uncommon, black bear attacks on humans occasionally occur, especially in areas where they come into frequent contact with people and human-related food sources.

Wildlife managers face tough decisions in human-bear conflicts.

What Should I Do?

Black bears should always be considered unpredictable and potentially dangerous. A black bear will usually detect you and leave the area before you notice, unless the bear has been conditioned to people and their food. If you live in black bear country, take responsibility for not attracting them. Always work with your neighbors to achieve a consistent solution to the problem situation, and keep in mind that doing a combination of things is better than doing just one.

IN AN EMERGENCY

Black bears usually avoid people, but if they start to associate people with food they may become aggressive. On the rare occasion that a black bear becomes aggressive, do the following:

• If a black bear attacks, fight back with everything in your power – fists, sticks, rocks, and E.P.A. registered bear pepper spray. Never play dead.
• Call 911 regarding any black bear attacks.
• Report any aggressive encounters with black bears, property damage from black bears, or possession of a live black bear to the AZGFD Dispatch at 623-236-7201. Dispatchers are available for your call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• AZGFD personnel remove bears that present an imminent threat to human safety or when they are in a situation where they cannot safely escape on their own.

if you encounter a Bear

• If you see a bear before it notices you, don’t approach. Quietly move away and alter your route.
• If a bear sees you, back away slowly. Never run; running may stimulate a bear’s instinct to chase.
• Give the bear a chance to leave the area.
• If the bear does not leave, stay calm, continue facing it, and slowly back away.
• If the bear approaches, hold your ground and make yourself as large and imposing as possible. Stand upright and wave your arms, jacket or other items. Make loud noises, such as yelling, whistles, and banging pots and pans.
• If it keeps approaching, use bear spray.
• If a bear is in your yard, scare it away from inside the house, keeping the door closed. If it refuses to leave, contact AZGFD Dispatch at 623-236-7201.

Frequently Asked Questions

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