I know, I know, it’s a lot to unpack here, but don’t stress, because we’ve got you covered.
First off, Yay! It’s Fat Bear Week! We get to learn about (and laugh at) some extra chunky ursids.
Second, Oh no…there are black bears in my backyard? Black bears have been spotted in Ashland, and not in their typical foraging areas around the mountain. So, what can we do? And what can we learn from fat bears in Alaska to help us manage bears in our own backyard?
In case you haven’t heard of Fat Bear Week, it’s a glorious time when we get to watch the transformation of bears bulking up for winter.
But this year, the black bears in Southern Oregon decided to join in the fun by coming into downtown Ashland and foraging for all to see. Except, they’re not in their usual foraging habitat; the black bears are invading backyards and roadways.
So, what are we supposed to do when the bears come lumbering in?
Well, with a few adjustments and some extra caution, we don’t have to worry about the black bears coming down from the hills to grab a snack before hibernation.
What is Fat Bear Week?
Fat Bear Week is a viral sensation akin to “Shark Week.” Every year, Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska shares photos and videos of brown bears in the park. They compare what the bears looked when they first emerged from hibernation in the spring to their full-figured glory in the fall.
And the transformations are astounding.
This time of year, bears are going through hyperphagia, which literally means “over-eating.”
But it’s not in an unhealthy way. Brown bears in Katmai are consuming around 100,000 calories per day to store fat for winter.
Which might be surprising when you learn that a lot of their diets come from plants, berries, and sedge grasses. How is it even possible to pack away that many calories from that kind of diet?
The answer is wild salmon. The bears in Katmai become prolific pescatarians, and have been observed eating as many as 40 whole salmon in a single sitting!
But, why do they run this competition of the Biggest Loser in reverse? Are we just fat-shaming bears?
Not at all. It’s actually all about education. We get to see, up-close and personal, just how much food bears need to consume to survive the winter.
If you’re wondering what brown bears in Alaska have to do with black bears in Ashland, let me explain: our local black bears are going through hyperphagia at the same time as their larger cousins up north.
Normally, the black bears in Southern Oregon eat berries, fruit, grasses and plants, and occasionally small animals or carrion to build up all of that winter weight. But, when their normal foods are scarce, their foraging might include your trash can or pet food left outside.
How else are they going to hit their calorie count?
The Black Bears in Downtown Ashland
Okay, so what exactly is going on in Ashland?
Well, on August 31st, the City of Ashland shared this message from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW):
“Mountain berries, a sought-after food source for bears are scarce or non-existent, so some are plying Ashland neighborhoods looking for food.
The sightings of bears in town in late August are due to hunger from lack of forage. It is not the normal bear “eat-a-thon” that begins later in September and October when bears are fattening up for winter. With a dismal snowpack this past winter and lack of spring rainfall, berries have not been productive this summer.
Historically, bears have plied neighborhoods in the northwest part of Ashland nearest the urban-wildland interface during the fall eat-a-thon and the spring food fest. Bears have now been sighted in the southern parts of town and closer to Interstate 5.
ODFW has received reports of bears invading backyard chicken coops and rummaging through trash cans looking for food. Ashland residents are encouraged to follow the BearWise Basics to help keep bears at bay:
- Never feed or approach bears.
- Secure food, garbage and recycling.
- Remove bird feeders now that bears are active in the city.
- Never leave pet food outdoors.
- Clean and store grills.
- Alert neighbors to bear activity.
ODFW also encourages people to continue reporting bear sightings on the Ashland wildlife tracker web page. Check ODFW’s webpage for more tips on keeping Oregon’s black bears wild.”
Following the message from ODFW, the City of Ashland did add their own message:
“All of this information can be found via the Save Our Wildlife campaign, ashlandoregon.gov/Wildlife.
In this case, We are Better Apart!
Please remember, do not feed bears or deer. It’s harmful and could cost you a $500 fine.”
Now, this was nearly a month ago. You might think that the issue should have calmed down by now, right?
But, notice that ODFW says the bears coming into the city were not here for the normal “eat-a-thon” (hyperphagia). Bears were spotted way earlier than we would expect to see them.
That “eat-a-thon” is now.
Which means there’s a good chance we’re going to see a lot more of them picking through the trash to build up those fat stores. Plus, they’re coming into areas we don’t normally see them at all.
Now we have to think, “Okay, what can we do when the black bears come knocking (over trash cans)?”
How To Stay Safe From Black Bears
While the black bears we have here in Southern Oregon definitely are not as aggressive as the brown bears in Alaska, we still need to be cautious with how we handle them.
Obviously, you should never approach a bear. Winnie-the-pooh lied to you, they’re not just harmless doughballs bumbling around in search of honey.
If you spot one in town, be especially cautious. That’s the kind of situation that can escalate super quickly, and you really should call local authorities. You can call your local ODFW office, or 911 if it’s an emergency situation.
Aside from yourself, there are three other things you need to protect from bears: your home, pets, and cars. And we have some tips for protecting the most important things in your life.
Bears In The Backyard
Don’t invite bears to your home. Period. That is absolutely the safest way to protect your home from bears.
Follow those BearWise Basics and make sure you never leave out the trash, pet food, birdseed, or anything else that might smell like a quick meal. Since bears can sniff out possible food well over a mile away, you’re going to want to be pretty diligent about cleaning things up.
That means you also need to clean your grill and store it inside if possible. If you have a garden, you might want to harvest anything left now. Or install some bear deterrents.
But what if you cleaned everything up and still have a bear trying to raid your kitchen? Fortunately, your homeowners insurance will cover damage from a hungry bear, so you don’t need to stress about the claw marks. Just keep everyone inside, make some noise, and call the emergency line.
Pet Safety & Black Bears
Protecting our pets from black bears can be as simple as bringing them inside, and not letting them out unattended (along with keeping their food inside, as mentioned in the BearWise Basics).
Black bears aren’t known for trying to make a snack out of cats, but it’s also not something you really want to risk when their normal foods are scarce. Dogs, especially reactive or overly-playful pups, are at very serious risk of receiving injuries from contact with black bears.
One of our team, many years ago, lived out near Emigrant Lake with his dog. One day, his dog came across what she thought were a couple of forest puppies, and decided she was going to teach them how to play. Unfortunately, those forest puppies were actually baby black bears, and mama bear wasn’t too keen on strangers playing with her cubs.
Before you get too worried, his dog was okay. She got a swat on the butt from mama black bear, and a few stitches from the swipe.
However, the stitches and medication did end up being a pretty expensive vet bill, so our last pet safety recommendation is to get vet insurance. It can save you hundreds if your pup misidentifies a foraging bear for a friend.
Black Bears Versus Vehicles
When it comes to keeping our cars safe from black bears, there are two things we need to consider:
- When it’s parked.
- When it’s driving.
A parked car, especially for long periods of time like overnight, should be treated similarly to your home. Don’t leave food or strong-smelling items that could be mistaken for food inside of your car. Hungry black bears have been known to break into vehicles in search of dinner, and you don’t really want to foot the bill on a new window or door because Yogi found Funyuns in your front seat.
When you’re driving your vehicle, you don’t have to worry about snacks in your center console. We were not able to find any account of a bear breaking into a moving vehicle to grab a snack. (But, also: maybe don’t eat while driving? That would be distracted driving and also a hazard.)
However, you do have to pay special attention to the road when black bears are around. Bears, just like a lot of wildlife, can run out in front of your vehicle with little warning.
Increased bear activity increases your risk of injury, lost wages if you can’t work, and lost transportation if your vehicle is totaled. If you only have minimum liability insurance right now, you may want to consider increasing your auto insurance coverage.
The extra money for full coverage is miniscule compared to the average $6,126 cost of vehicle-wildlife accidents.
Fun, Not Fear, For Fat Bear Week
Well, that’s it for Fat Bear Week, folks. Remember, we’re not here to fear-monger the black bears in our region. They’re an important part of our ecosystem and fascinating to learn about, but they are wild animals and a certain level of caution needs to be taken when our boundaries start to overlap with theirs.
At the end of the day, we want the people and the bears to walk away safe from any possible interactions. A little care and preparation can reduce the number of those interactions, and the risks when they do occur. Then the bears can go back safely to the forests, and we can go back to ranking their gigantic cousins in Alaska. Win-win.
If you need help getting coverage in case of wildlife, you can reach out to our team at Ashland Insurance online or give us a call!
541.482.0831 Ashland
541.857.0679 Medford