More And More Black Bears Are Being Spotted Throughout Missouri And Here's What You Should Know
By Beth Price-Williams|Published August 22, 2020
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Summer 2020 has certainly been anything but boring. Just weeks ago, in fact, we were all introduced to Bruno, a black bear who is said to have traveled to Missouri from Wisconsin. Bruno became a social media hit overnight with people following his journey throughout Missouri, which ended in St. Louis. Bruno is just one of many black bears in Missouri. He’s been captured and moved to a safe location, where the public can’t interfere with his movements.
Here’s what you need to know about black bears in Missouri.
The black bear population in Missouri has significantly increased over the last five decades, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), with an annual growth increase of nine percent.
As of early August 2020, approximately 250 black bear sightings have been reported to the MDC. You can take precautions to avoid attracting black bears to your yard and to protect yourself if you happen to come face-to-face with a black bear.
Never feed black bears. That leads to a vicious cycle. The bears then seek out people for food and become comfortable going into areas with large populations. They can become aggressive, which leads to them ultimately having to be captured and euthanized.
Remember the MDC’s saying, "A fed bear is a dead bear."
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You may inadvertently attract bears to your yard, if you leave pet food, food for other animals, or other food outside. Only give your pets enough food, for example, for one meal, so food isn’t left over in the bowl.
Those are all fairly straightforward steps, but you should still be aware of what to do if you cross paths with a black bear. Make sure the black bear has a way to get away from you, and…
Have you seen any black bears in Missouri? If so, have you seen more than you normally do? Let us know in the comments! Then if you like to go stargazing, you might want to check into River of Life Farm, which boasts some of the clearest skies for stargazing in Missouri.
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