With spring upon us, Maine’s black bears are beginning to wake up and look for food after emerging from their winter dens. While denning, black bears enter a state of torpor, slowing their metabolism and respiration, breathing only once per 15 to 45 seconds and dropping their heart rate to 8-21 beats per minute. Even with a lowered metabolic rate, bears still lose significant body fat.
Once spring comes and bears emerge from their dens, they are working to regulate their bodily functions slowly until normal activity ensues. Bears will seek out limited springtime foods such as insects, grasses, sedges, leftover hard mast from the fall, and other early spring vegetation. While natural foods are limited, bears may take the risk and wander into backyards in search of easily accessible food. It is especially important to be proactive about securing and removing backyard attractants this time of year to prevent conflicts with black bears.
To prevent black bears from wandering into your yard, there are some easy steps to take:
• Remove birdfeeders between April 1 and November 1 and rake up unused bird seed from the ground;
• Store garbage cans in a building or within an electric fence enclosure;
• Clean grills thoroughly after use and store them inside;
• Store livestock and pet food inside;
• Keep livestock in buildings at night and maintain effective fencing for livestock.
To learn more about living with black bears, check out the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s website.
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