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Thursday, June 26, 2008

Editorial: We All Must Help Repel Area Bears



      Everyone likes bears.
    But most of us realize bears should live in the forest and stay in the forest. However, when we live in the forest, encounters with bears will increase, especially when we leave treats for them. Early summer seems to bring the bears closer to humans when young bears leave their mothers to find their own way, and older bears start looking for food.
    In the past week, three different bear encounters have occurred in the East Mountains and Estancia Valley. The scariest involved a young bear climbing through the window of a Tijeras home. The bear was run out of the house and everyone is safe, but wildlife officials are concerned the bear may be emboldened to try the stunt again at a different home.
    Jan Hayes of Sandia Mountain Bear Watch has some sound advice: bear proof your garbage, pet food and homes. Once bears gets a taste for human food, it's nearly impossible to break them of wanting it. That spells danger for the bear, Hayes said.
    So if you really do like bears, do your part and make your property bear-proof.
   

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