Stop feeding wildlife.
That's the message the Arizona Game and Fish Department is trying to relay to Arizona residents after a series of recent incidents where bears were euthanized after they became a public safety threat.
Earlier this week, AZGFD wildlife managers had to remove two bears from different residential areas: an adult male ear from a north Phoenix neighborhood that had previously been relocated from Prescott, and a female bear in the White Mountains who had also been relocated from Pine last year.
The department also euthanized a bear in Payson, according to the Arizona Republic, making that three bear removals in just one week.
The department is also keeping an eye on other possibly nuisance bears along the southern border, along with bears in Show Low, Yarnell and Mesa.
“When a bear becomes habituated to people for food and water, it can become a real threat to public safety,” AZGFD Wildlife Manager Shawn Wagner said. “People feeding wildlife think they’re helping wildlife, but they’re putting everyone’s safety at risk."
The department said it's human-wildlife conflict policy calls into consideration the bear's behavior, age, sex and threat level to humans before determining when to relocate or euthanize a bear.
While the department says it spends a lot of time relocating bears, approximately half of them return to where they were captured, no matter how far away it is.
The dry conditions are also making it more difficult for bears to find natural wood and water sources, meaning that the chances of spotting a bear in neighborhoods is up.
Bears quickly lose their fear or humans and become habituated to human food sources.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Keep all trash inside a secured area until collection day. If that's not possible, keep food waste in a bag in the freezer and place those in the trash.
- Take your bird feeders down at night
- Keep pet food inside and remove all uneaten food
If you're ever in a life-threatening situation with a bear, call 911. To report a bear sighting, contact the Tucson Game and Fish office 520-628-5376.
