bear & lion alerts
July 2010
UPDATE
July 27, 2010
This year is shaping up to be a bad one for bears!
Please everyone, contain your attractants!
Bonner-Clinton: Multiple bears have been removed from the Bonner/Clinton area this year. These bears found numerous garbage cans, chicken coops and bird feeders easily accessible. This is dangerous for both people and bears!
Lolo Hot Springs / Highway 12 Area: Multiple black bears have been accessing garbage in this area. Unfortunately one bear has been destroyed and 2 others are actively being trapped. A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR! Please contain your attractants and make western Montana safer for people and bears.
Rock Creek: Garbage is being left out all over Rock Creek. This is making it very easy for bears to get into trouble. It is likely that a bear from this area will be destroyed before the month is over. If you have questions about how to contain your attractants please contact us.
Lincoln: A black bear cub was hit and killed on the highway this week.
Seeley Lake: Efforts are underway to trap a grizzly family group that has been trying to access homes in the Seeley/Placid Lake area. THIS WAS AN AVOIDABLE SITUATION! This grizzly had become used to people after getting food rewareds at multiple locations. Please help us reduce bear habituation like this in the area. If you would ike to get involved in our neighborhood network program please contact us. You can get more information about this program on www.missoulabears.org
Ninemile - HIGH ALERT!
July 16, 2010
HIGH ALERT! The Ninemile area is experiencing heavy bear activity due to serviceberries and chokecherries ripening along streams. Unfortunately, FWP is swamped with calls about bears in this area also accessing garbage and bird feeders. It is extremely important for the safety of people and bears that you contain your attractants!
FWP Region 2 - HIGH ALERT!
July 16, 2010
FWP is getting inundated with calls from our region about black bears getting into residential attractants. The majority of the bears are using lowland habitats along streams and rivers. The temptations are great---lots of garbage, bird feeders, etc. Everyone should be running an especially tight ship at this time, with all attractants contained.
***NOTE*** FWP staff, biologists, and wardens are getting "way too many calls" about bears in bird feeders and humming bird feeders. Let all your neighbors know that the bird feeders need to come down!!! Also, garbage is a major issue down the Bitterroot. If you live down the Bitterroot, do your best to contain garbage until the day of pick up. If possible, call Bitterroot Disposal and suggest they need to assist the community with addressing the issues with bears and garbage.
Prevention is the key. Teach bears to keep away---not to stay!
Rattlesnake - HIGH ALERT!
July 9, 2010
HIGH ALERT! Multiple bears are accessing garbage, bird feeders, compost and other attractants in the Rattlesnake. Please pull in all attractants. Feeding bears is against the law and dangerous for both people and the bears! If you have any questions about securing attractants please contact us. This is shaping up to be a bad year for bear problems, probably due to low natural food resources. FWP currently has all of their traps set for problem bears. Two bears have already been relocated from the Rattlesnake this year.
Rattlesnake
July 5, 2010
A black bear was trapped and relocated
out of the Greenough Park area of the Rattlesnake. There have been reports of bears attempting to get into garages and approaching BBQs. We also have reports of another black bear accessing garbage in and around Greenough Park. Please secure all attractants! The Rattlesnake is in the bear buffer zone and under the Missoula Ordinance 3419, making it illegal to allow bears access to attractants. For more information on this ordinance click here.
This is the second bear to be relocated out of the Rattlesnake this year.
Bonner to Turah
July 5, 2010
Another black bear was trapped and relocated out of the West Riverside area. This area is on HIGH ALERT for bear activity due to multiple bears accessing garbage.
Thank you to the residents who are working hard to reduce attractants in this neighborhood. There is still a lot of work to do but efforts are being made to make this area safer for both bears and people.
Ninemile
July 5, 2010
Statement from James Jonkel, FWP: There is a confirmed grizzly in the Ninemile. The bear is hunting elk calves. The bear appears to be a young adult male, +/-400 pounds. This may be the same bear that was seen earlier this month up around Fire Creek. The bear has not gotten into any garbage or residential attractants. However, FWP has been inundated with reports of black bears getting into garbage, chicken feed, chickens and bird feeders----especially in the lower portions of the Ninemile Valley.
I strongly encourage all Ninemile and Sixmile residents, if you have not already done so, to encourage neighbors to take down bird feeders, contain all garbage and secure all attractants such as pet food, chicken feed, etc. FWP will monitor the bear's activity closely and hopefully the bear will be moving on in the near future. Should problems arise FWP may attempt to trap and relocate the bear to a less congested area. Please report all sightings of the bear to James Jonkel at 406-544-1447 or the FWP HQ at 406-542-5500.
Black bear picture on previous page: Courtesy of K. Quinn Ellis |
