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Living In The Wild
Written By: Cynthia Strain | Issue: April 2023
The B.E.A.R. Task Force, which was instrumental in Highlands being named a BearWise Community in 2021, has some simple steps to ensure that we all remain on good terms with our furry neighbors.
In the spring, bears are leaving their dens, and boy, are they hungry after not eating for a few months! They are searching everywhere for food, and that could include your yard. But just because they are hungry is no reason to feed them, because that will only encourage them to stick around. As many of us know, that can lead to trouble…bears getting in the car and causing serious damage. Or bears coming into your house, which is obviously not a good thing. So do whatever you can to keep bears wild and living in the wild, not in our neighborhoods. To that end, the Town of Highlands prohibits the intentional feeding of bears, as well as providing access to garbage or other foods. If you know there are bears in your area, please follow these simple steps. • If you’ve been feeding birds over the winter, now is the time to put the feeder and seed away. Bears have extremely sensitive noses and can smell food from over a mile away. Therefore, simply bringing in the feeders at night won’t deter bears, as they’ll be attracted to the seed leavings on the ground. Besides, bears are active during daylight hours, not just at night. • Keep your doors closed and locked. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is for a bear to open a lever-type door handle. • The same goes with cars. Never leave food or wrappings in your car, and just in case, close the windows and lock the doors. • Keep your trash inside until trash day or use a bear-resistant trash container. Highlands requires bear-resistant cans. • If you do have bear activity, alert your neighbors so they can take steps to prevent problems. • If you live in Highlands city limits and have a problem with a bear, please report it on the town’s website, where you will find a link for BearWise. At that page you can also find a great deal more information about bears and local ordinances. If you do see a bear, just keep your distance and enjoy it, allowing it to move along. Keep dogs under control at all times. Bears might look sweet, but they are wild animals and must be respected as such.
by Cynthia Strain
