Black bear in Twisp

[annglidden]

There's a juvenile black bear near Riverside Ave, in a tree. WDFW has been notified, but you may want to watch your pets.

[wildramble]

Good conversation to open up on this topic

What do black bears eat?
Rarely pets.
They are omnivores with most of their diet directed to nutrient dense vegetation - fruits, nuts and berries. They are driven by smell though - pet food, garbage, compost. Bears do not actively hunt pets but they will go for carrion.
Takes calories they don't have to waste to chase down a dog or handle a don't-mess-with-me-and-my-ninja-claws cats ~ especially this time of year when they are in their final fattening sprees.
Know your neighbors, keep curious and read up on yer questions.

[annglidden]

While bears don't routinely eat pets, they are opportunistic, and will take what is available, particularly if the bear is young, displaced and hungry, as this one appears to be. This bear was watching our small dogs.

[Pudman]

Oh no! Has anyone checked on the zonkey? Is the zonkey in danger?!

[Ananda]

Thanks for letting us all know, Ann.

Any recent sightings?

[jimbo]

I’ve heard of some recent bear activity - in garbage cans - a couple miles south of Twisp on the Twisp Carlton rd….just north of the beaver ponds.

[BradCampbell]

annglidden wrote:
> While bears don't routinely eat pets, they are opportunistic, and will take
> what is available, particularly if the bear is young, displaced and hungry,
> as this one appears to be. This bear was watching our small dogs.

Another commenter seems to dispute your claim that they are opportunistic. I disagree too. Maybe they have to be very desperate.

"What do black bears eat?
Rarely pets.
They are omnivores with most of their diet directed to nutrient dense vegetation - fruits, nuts and berries. They are driven by smell though - pet food, garbage, compost. Bears do not actively hunt pets but they will go for carrion."

[karlukkid]

Brad: Did you grow up in Seattle in the view ridge area?

[owleaf]

Please think twice before labeling Wildlife a "Problem". Here's a bear experience I'd like to share. A few years ago, my horse was running around the corral more than usual. I finally discovered why, a young bear had wandered in. Not a tiny cub, but a smaller, curious bear. It had gotten into the garbage, and I cleaned it up. That’s what wildlife does when their habitat is burning and food is scarce, especially with winter coming.

By day two, my horse had settled down. By day three, I found the two of them within thirty feet of each other — the bear rolling happily under a cluster of small pines, my horse standing quietly and watching. No snorting, no alarm. Just calm coexistence.

On day four, WDFD came out and euthanized the young bear. It was labeled a “nuisance". They no longer relocate.

So I’m asking folks in the valley to think carefully before calling wildlife a “problem". Coexistence is key here, for the good of all. We share this place with wildlife who are trying to survive the same fires, droughts, and seasonal changes we are.

A solution: keep your garbage secured.
Take your dogs in, it prevents conflicts.
Another solution: invest in bear‑proof cans.

Shelley Block

[wildramble]

Really appreciate that share Shelley.

I am cognizant people can get instantly concerned about their pets and might lose momentary sense of place to protect what comes home to them at night versus the wild things that must make their way out of, preferably, our way.

There is the wildland urban interface that the Methow valley sits smack in the middle of and then there is the hyperphagic phase of fattening up bears are in right now ~ coupled with an impressive olfactory range (20 miles!...). Young bear and the maddening smell of caloric opportunity that is our garbage, compost, dinner cooking bringing it closer - can't resist. Life's tough and ya wander the edges of those overwhelming smells and dang it, somebody's dogs bark and up it goes into a tree. It ain't up there scoping out which 4-legged calorie snack is next in its sights. It is trying to eat and get the heck outta dodge. We can do all the things to keep the smells down, but you nailed with coexistence.

I disagree with posting a sighting of wildlife being just wild in the wrong place. Tends to excite over act as a PSA that triggers calm, cool and place-centric course correcting to call your pets in, check your garbage and other such practical "that's right, bears are chasing calories this time of year and they live here too" mindsets. My opinion and sense of situational awareness.

Hope y'all enjoy reading up on black bears and their sense of smell and that "hyper" term. North American Bear Center at bears.org has numerous informative articles. Maybe the Methow Conservancy can start a yearly pop-up talk about living with bears at this time of year and offer up some of their smarties' expertise to educate with co-exist pointers. I'll see y'all there...