Alaska News

Warning: Bears aren't hibernating yet

A reminder: Anchorage bears aren't hibernating yet.

August and September were relatively quiet months for bear-human encounters in Anchorage, said Jessy Coltrane, an area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

But in recent weeks "there's been a resurgence of bear incidents surrounding unsecured trash cans."

Young brown bears were getting into unsecured trash cans left out overnight in the Rabbit Creek area, said Dave Battle, also a wildlife biologist with Fish and Game. Those bears haven't been seen for a week or so.

In an Eagle River neighborhood near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, black bears feasted on trash in unsecured cans, Battle said.

None of the trash-gorging has resulted in a close encounter with a human or a bear having to be shot, he said.

But people -- especially those who live near big patches of woods such as military bases or Chugach State Park -- need to vigilant even in late fall.

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Some people assume bears are no longer on the prowl for food by late October. That's not true.

"Bears haven't gone into their dens yet, and probably won't for a few weeks," Coltrane said.

Bears hibernate when they run out of food sources, Battle said. Weather is not the only factor.

Resist the urge to put out birdseed until after Thanksgiving, Coltrane said.

Reach Michelle Theriault Boots at mtheriault@adn.com or 257-4344.

By MICHELLE THERIAULT BOOTS

mtheriault@adn.com

Michelle Theriault Boots

Michelle Theriault Boots is a longtime reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. She focuses on in-depth stories about the intersection of public policy and Alaskans' lives. Before joining the ADN in 2012, she worked at daily newspapers up and down the West Coast and earned a master's degree from the University of Oregon.

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