Residents report recent black bear sightings in Bellows Falls

By JORDAN J. PHELAN
[email protected]
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. — The Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife announced in a press release Wednesday that it has received numerous calls from residents in the village of Bellows Falls about a bear in their neighborhood.

Over the past few weeks, Bellows Falls residents have reported seeing a black bear present in the area of the village. The calls, which were made to both the Windham County Sheriff’s Department and Vermont Fish & Wildlife, did not detail any property damage but the bear is getting into bird feeders.

Local game warden David Taddei noted that the currently enforced stay-at-home order in Vermont and surrounding states that has resulted in a reduction in the amount of human activity in the area could be a reason for the bear’s presence.

“Due to the current Stay Home, Stay Safe order issued by Governor Scott, there has been a decrease in human outdoor activity, which could be one of the reasons the bear has been venturing into the village,” Taddei said. “Similar reports of wild animals coming into urbanized areas have increased recently throughout the world. Other than being in an urban area, this bear is displaying normal behavior and has not done anything that would merit its removal.”

However, Taddei also said people should be prepared for such activity to potentially continue after the virus-related order is lifted and human activity rises.

“At some point, the Stay Home, Stay Safe order will be lifted, and life will start to return to normal,” Taddei said. “More people will be out, dumpsters will start to fill, and more trash will be generated at local businesses. This could result in a variety of outcomes, most of which may not end well for the bear.”

Vermont bear biologist Forrest Hammond added that as a bear becomes accustomed to an urban environment the situation could get worse over time.

“What is most concerning about this situation is that bear behavior in urbanized areas tends to become worse over time as the bear gets less wary of humans with each meal of garbage or birdseed,” Hammond said.

Taddei requests that residents of Bellows Falls follow the following measures:

— Please take all bird feeders in immediately. Bird seed is a concentrated, high calorie and high fat food source for bears.

— Secure all trash properly. Bags of trash left outside are very easy for a bear to access. Keep food scraps in the freezer, dispose of trash often, and secure any dumpsters with ratchet straps and plywood.

— If you see the bear, first and foremost get to a safe location. If you are in a safe location and can safely do so, harass the bear by yelling at it and waving your arms. If you can safely do so, throw things at or near the bear. Doing so will increase its fear of humans.

— Please do not stand outside and take videos of the bear. This only emboldens the bear by showing it that people are not a threat.

— Fill out a bear report at https://anrweb.vt.gov/FWD/FW/WildlifeBearReport.aspx. This will help Vermont Fish and Wildlife keep track of where the bear is frequenting, what it is doing, and it will enable the department to assess if there is a growing risk to human safety.

“Please understand that at this point there has been no need for direct intervention from the Fish and Wildlife Department,” Taddei said. “Proactive attempts by game wardens to locate the bear and employ aversive conditioning techniques have so far been unsuccessful. Thank you for your help and thank you for doing your part to secure bird food and trash.”

Additional information on black bears

Black bears are large, strong wild animals that should be treated with respect. Seeing a black bear can be an exciting and, for some people, a nerve wracking event. Bears should always be appreciated from a distance to ensure the safety of humans and bears. These recommendations are meant to be general and cover the basic types of human-bear interactions that can occur. Encounters vary greatly, and all situations are different.

In general, when you encounter a black bear you should:

— Remain calm.

— Ensure the bear has an escape route.

— Back away when possible.

— If attacked in a building or tent, immediately fight back.

— DON’T run from a bear.

— DON’T climb trees to escape a bear.

— DON’T feed bears.

A word about bear spray: Bear spray (pepper spray specifically made as a bear deterrent) can be an effective tool if you encounter an aggressive bear. In order for bear spray to be effective, you must be trained and practiced in its safe use.

Some information used in this piece is attributed to a Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife brochure.