BOSTON (WHDH) - Massachusetts wildlife officials are urging Bay State residents to beware of black bears as the state’s population begins the process of “fattening up” ahead of the winter season.
The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife says residents should remove bird feeders, refrain from feeding pets outside, and secure garbage and compost.
An article authored by Jim Behnke and published in the November edition of “Massachusetts Wildlife” estimated that there are now about 5,000 black bears scattered across the state and that population has gradually expanded east over the years.
“This trend is likely to continue as females establish new home ranges east of I-495,” the article stated.
In the next decade, the bears could expand another 20 or 30 miles east to the corridor between I-190 and I-495, inside of I-495, and in southeast Massachusetts through Douglas, Oxford, and other nearby towns, according to biologists.
Bears typically enter winter dens in November and December, depending on food availability, officials noted.
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