LITTLE ROCK - When you think about bears, what do you picture? Cuddly
mammals? Fierce menaces? Once known as the Bear State, Arkansas is still home to
a healthy population of American black bears.
Governor Mike Beebe has declared May 11 - 17 Bear Awareness Week in Arkansas.
Experts agree: that bears here in the Natural State are generally passive when
left alone.
Despite their calm nature, Dr. Becky McPeake, extension wildlife specialist
with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, advises everyone to
become bear aware. "If you see a bear, the best thing to do is back away slowly,
especially if it has not seen you."
Debbie Thompson, carnivore curator at the Little Rock Zoo, says, "The Zoo
promotes Bear Awareness Month partly because of the prominent presence of the
American black bear in Arkansas and the importance of learning how to safely
coexist with them. In fact, state residents don’t have to live far out of town
to find one in their backyard.
"To avoid this situation, put away dog food and keep garbage secured. Bears
become dangerous when they associate a particular location with food - once they
find it available, they come back and may become aggressive."
Bears are curious, intelligent and potentially harmful animals, but
unjustified fear of these animals can harm both bears and people.
Rex Roberg, wildlife biologist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative
Extension Service, points out that, "black bears aren’t typically interested in
you - they are not an aggressive bear unless they perhaps have cubs. Bears are
wild animals - if you let them get used to you, they become more dangerous as
they lose their natural fear of humans."
Roberg adds, "Bears are part of the native fauna of Arkansas, and we are
quite capable of sharing space if we act appropriately."
For more information about wildlife, visit extension's Web site,
www.uaex.edu,
or contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is
part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
May 16, 2008
By Kelli Reep
For the Cooperative Extension Service
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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