"Bear Aware" public meeting - May 12
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The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is hosting a "bear aware" public meeting on May 12 in Tehachapi. The meeting is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the BeeKay Theater, 110 South Green St. in Tehachapi.
A CDFW wildlife biologist will make a presentation on "Living Responsibly in Bear Country," which will include information on what attracts black bears, how to secure food and trash, and the dangers of feeding wildlife (see below for a sample of this information). A question and answer session will follow the presentation, with the wildlife biologist and a CDFW warden on hand to answer questions.
• Do not approach the bear.
• Remove yourself from danger.
• When safe, call 911.
• Do not block any exits that the bear may use to escape.
• Slowly back away. DO NOT approach the bear.
• Allow the bear plenty of room to pass or withdraw.
• Once you are a safe distance away, encourage the bear to leave by banging pots and pans or making other loud noises.
• It's not uncommon to see bears in and around communities located near bear habitat. A bear sighting alone is not a cause for concern.
• If a bear causes damage to your home or property, contact your Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Office.
• CDFW will provide strategies to make your property less attractive to bears, explain the depredation permit process and may conduct a site inspection.
• Remember prevention is always the first step. It's up to all of us to help keep bears alive and wild for generations to come.
If you need to contact the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Central Region call (559) 243-4005 or Sacramento Headquarters (916) 322-8911
Once conditioned to human sources of food, bears will seek them out, creating conflicts with humans. Attracting bears to urban areas can also increase risk of vehicle collisions, harming both humans and bears.
The bear's behavior will not stop voluntarily, and unless the nuisance behavior can be corrected, bears may be killed to ensure public safety. In order to avoid these deaths, food sources must be removed. Never Feed a Bear! For more information visit http://www.keepmewild.org
