BLACK BEAR SIGHTING. Salem Police monitored a black bear that was observed in the city last Tuesday. The bear eventually wandered out of town. (Photo via Salem Police Department Facebook)
MDC Cautions Residents After Recent Bear Sightings
A black bear sighting May 30 in Salem, along with a bear struck and killed on Interstate 55 in Festus on May 23, are putting the spotlight on their increasing migration into the area.
The Missouri Department of Conservation said the state is home to around 900 black bears and the population is growing by 9 percent annually.
MDC’s Dan Zarlenga said in a press release that most black bears are found in southern Missouri, which has the largest tracts of forested habitat.
But as the population continues to grow, sightings and potential encounters in the St. Louis region are growing.
Salem, located in Dent County, is in what MDC considers the “core range.”
Salem Police reported the bear was near Rolla Road early May 30. They “closely monitored” the bear, which headed north out of town.
The sighting came a week after a bear was fatally struck on I-55 in Festus.
The bear was south of Highway A, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The driver was uninjured. An agent from MDC retrieved the bear.
Less than a week earlier, a bear was observed walking through a yard outside Festus.
Missouri’s black bear population was nearly wiped out in the 19th century. Bears were reintroduced in Arkansas and in 1991, a study showed some had walked across the border and mated with remnant bears that had survived.
MDC reminds residents not to tempt bears with food, intentionally or unintentionally.
Feeding bears can make them comfortable around people and lead to increased encounters.
MDC recommends that if a bear has been sighted in the area to:
• Store garbage, recyclables, and compost inside a secure building or in a bear-proof container.
• Regularly clean and disinfect trash containers to minimize smells that could attract bears.
• Keep grills and smokers clean and store them inside.
• Don’t leave pet food outside. Feed pets a portion at each meal and remove the empty containers.
• Refrain from using bird feeders in bear country from April through November. If in use, hang them at least 10 feet high and four feet away from any structure. Keep in mind that even if a bear cannot get to the birdseed, the scent could still attract it to the area.
• Use electric fencing to keep bears away from beehives, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, orchards, and other potential food sources.