Maryland’s black bears leave their winter dens. When they show up, they are hungry and looking for food. Natural food sources for bears – such as acorns, plants, berries, and insects – are in short supply until later in the spring, so bears are attracted to anything that smells like food.
Homeowners who leave man-made food sources outdoors can inadvertently draw bears into residential areas. Maryland Bear Sanctuary residents are encouraged to be proactive and use good judgment to avoid man-made attractions being created for bears.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources offers the following tips to reduce the chance of a bear encounter in a residential or urban area:
– Lock the trash in a bear-proof trash can or store the dumpster in a locked garage or shed until the morning of the trash collection.
– Flush dumpsters with ammonia to remove odors.
– Store the grills inside and keep them free from food residues.
– Remove the backyard bird feeders from April to November (birds have many wild sources of food during this time).
“Keeping bears wild is a community effort that benefits bears and humans,” said Paul Peditto, director of wildlife and cultural heritage. “Now, if you take care not to attract bears, you can keep them out year-round and make sure they stay in the wild.”
Bears are most common in Maryland’s four westernmost counties – Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington. They can be found throughout central and southern Maryland, however, especially in the spring when young male bears tend to migrate to new areas in search of a way to establish their own territory.
