Please keep fruit and garbage away from bears

For the last few weeks, several tired and frustrated Montana Fish Wildlife and Park bear specialists have been trapping, darting and chasing bears in neighborhoods all over town. My neighborhood, Dakota Avenue, has received an extraordinary amount of bear activity. Because the bears are around so frequently, our family has worked hard to pick fruit, bring in garbage and take down the bird feeders. Yet, as I walk around town, I see countless garbage cans tipped over and trash spread all over yards.

I spoke with Eric Wenum and Tim Manley as they dealt with another problem bear the other evening. It was late at night and they had to tranquilize a large black bear in a tree and relocate it while another bear remained hidden in the bushes. Eric and Tim are constantly in perilous positions and have become increasingly frustrated with the lack of cooperation by the city and police in enforcing laws aimed at addressing the bear/human conflicts. They are out at all hours of the day and night working with bears that are attracted to the smorgasbord of garbage left out by inconsiderate folks.

Please do your neighbors and the bears a big favor and leave the garbage inside until the morning of collection. Secure pet food, bird seed and pick your fruit trees. If the bears become habituated to humans, they will have to be destroyed.

Jan Metzmaker

Whitefish