How the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources handles nuisance bears

Yahoo

2 days ago

BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — Now that it is getting warmer, West Virginia's black bears will be out and about looking for food sources to fatten up with for the colder months ahead.
Unfortunately, this puts some of them directly in the path of humans.
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Black bears are already starting to eat as much as they can before their next round of hibernation. One resident in Clear Creek found out the hard way; whatever is in their trash bin is on the menu.
Samantha Thompson saw a black bear recently.
She said she told her neighbors who were already aware of the bear, and they reported it to DNR.
DNR set a trap and caught the bear, but what came next shocked Thompson.
'Our understanding was that when they trap the bear, they're gonna take it and relocate it. They're gonna tag it, take it, and relocate it. I was told after the fact that no that was not correct, that most bears, unfortunately, are destroyed rather than being relocated,' said Thompson.
Thompson said she was saddened to hear about the death of the bear, commenting that she wishes that the incident had never occurred.
This may have you wondering 'why not just release the bear elsewhere?'
Colin Carpenter, Black Bear Project Leader for the DNR, said the bears are dispatched for a number of reasons, though they never want to have to harm any of them.
'First being our experience and the scientific literature shows that removing adult bears is typically ineffective. Because their rates of return are higher, they don't do as well in a new environment. So, since 2011, any bear over 140 pounds we have put down, dispatched,' said Carpenter.
Carpenter said relocated adult bears will also still try to get back to their home range.
They may also find another area populated by humans that has easily accessible food sources as well.
He said there is another major reason in play as well.
'Because we have bears everywhere in West Virginia now, you know, thirty years ago when we were moving bears regularly, we didn't have bears in every available habitat. We had places to take them. Now, we have bears statewide. So, moving bears is not a solution to the problem. The solution is addressing the food attractant that's causing the issue,' said Carpenter.
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Carpenter advises everyone to do their own reach on how to live effectively and safely in bear country.
He said they never want to dispatch a bear, but that they cannot risk someone being hurt.
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