Released May 16, 2008
LITTLE ROCK - When you think about bears, what do you picture? Cuddly mammals? Fierce menaces? Once known as the Bear State, Arkansas is still home to a healthy population of American black bears.
Experts agree: that bears here in the Natural State are generally passive when left alone.
Despite their calm nature, Becky McPeake, extension wildlife specialist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, advises everyone to become bear aware. "If you see a bear, the best thing to do is back away slowly, especially if it has not seen you."
Debbie Thompson, carnivore curator at the Little Rock Zoo, says, "The Zoo promotes Bear Awareness Month partly because of the prominent presence of the American black bear in Arkansas and the importance of learning how to safely coexist with them. In fact, state residents don’t have to live far out of town to find one in their backyard.
"To avoid this situation, put away dog food and keep garbage secured. Bears become dangerous when they associate a particular location with food - once they find it available, they come back and may become aggressive."
Bears are curious, intelligent and potentially harmful animals, but unjustified fear of these animals can harm both bears and people.
Rex Roberg, wildlife biologist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, points out that, "black bears aren’t typically interested in you - they are not an aggressive bear unless they perhaps have cubs. Bears are wild animals - if you let them get used to you, they become more dangerous as they lose their natural fear of humans."
Roberg adds, "Bears are part of the native fauna of Arkansas, and we are quite capable of sharing space if we act appropriately."
For more information about wildlife, visit extension's Web site, http://www.uaex.edu, or contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
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http://www.uaex.edu/news/may2008/0516bearawareness.htm
Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187, ljames@uaex.edu
