Black bears once roamed most of the United States, being found in nearly every state, but their numbers declined sharply in the early 20th century, primarily due to habitat loss and overhunting. Thanks to conservation efforts and reforestation of old farmland over the last several decades, black bears have been reclaiming some of their lost territory, which includes the Mianus River Gorge.
The MRG research staff is in the final year of our own 10-year black bear survey! Director of Conservation & Stewardship Budd Veverka first started the survey in 2016 with high school researcher Will Maynard. Using camera traps set up across Westchester, Putnam, and Fairfield counties, they mapped the distribution of black bears in the area and compared it to the expected distribution based on older scientific literature. The study has grown over the last decade, with Preserve Steward Jean-Luc Plante and Mianus High School Mentorship in Ecology students Meera Karintholil and Skye Fishman joining the project.
Black bears moving back into their old habitat has inevitably led to more bear-human interactions. To avoid these interactions escalating into conflicts, there are several simple steps we can take to keep both humans and our ursine friends safe. Bears have an incredibly powerful nose and are attracted to just about anything with an odor, particularly if there’s a food reward associated with it. Bird feeders and garbage are the biggest attractants, so avoiding leaving bird feeders out when bears are active (March-November), and being mindful of leaving garbage out overnight would go a long way towards promoting safer bear-human interactions.
As we finish up the final season of the study, we intend to publish our findings to help inform fellow ecologists, land managers, and neighbors about the expanding range of black bears and its implications for co-existence.
For more specific information about keeping people, pets, and property safe and the bears wild, visit the bearwise.org website.