A black bear in Yellowstone Bear World wildlife park in Idaho, 2007 (David Bařina/Wikimedia Commons)
A black bear was hit by a driver on Interstate 64 near New Albany Sunday night before fleeing into some nearby brush.
Until 2015, a black bear hadn’t been seen in Indiana for more than 140 years. That bearwas eventually euthanized in Michiganafter trying to break into homes. Another bear was seen in Indiana in 2016.
The DNR says black bears are rarely aggressive toward people. The agency says it's when bears start associating humans with food that problems tend to arise.
DNR mammalogist Brad Westrich says, right now, the agency doesn’t intend to capture or move the bear.
“So if we do spot this bear again, our plan is to be hands-off. We’re going to monitor the bear and let the bear be a bear,” he says.
A paw print found in the New Albany area after the accident on I-64. This photo has been lightened to better show the outline of the print. (Indiana DNR).
With more black bears in neighboring states, Westrich says we’re bound to start seeing more bears in Indiana in the future.
“And getting a few bears at a time is a really good way for Indiana citizens to get accustomed to living with bears and accustomed to living a bear-aware lifestyle,” he says.
That means making sure bears don’t see your home as a place to find food.
The DNR has the following tips for dealing with black bears:
If you see a black bear:
Enjoy it from a distance
Never attempt to feed or attract bears
Do not climb a tree
Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms and backing slowly away
Report bear sightings to the Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife at 812-334-1137, through email at dfw@dnr.IN.gov, orwildlife.IN.gov/8497.htm.
To reduce the potential for conflicts with bears:
DO remove bird feeders and bird food from late March through November
DO clean and store grills away after use
DO eliminate food attractants by placing garbage cans inside a garage or shed
DO pick ripe fruits and vegetable ASAP, or place an electric fence around them, to ensure bear cannot reach them
DON'T intentionally feed bears. Bears that become accustomed to finding food near your home may become “problem” bears
DON'T leave pet food outside overnight
DON'T add meat or sweets to a compost pile
DON'T climb a tree, but wait in a vehicle or building for the bear to leave the area.
Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.
