State wildlife officials say a steadily recovering bear population is pushing further south into the Twin Cities metro.
In recent weeks, Twin Cities metro area bear sightings have come from Burnsville, Elk River, Shoreview, Burnsville, and even Edina, a first-ring suburb.
The Minnesota DNR's Franklin Whittaker says that 90% of these suburban sightings are driven almost entirely by the search for easy backyard meals in trash cans and bird feeders.
"Bear sightings in the Twin City area historically probably haven't been very common," Whittaker says. "Historical bear range has been up in the northeast forested portion of the state. However, in the last decade or so, the bear population has been steadily rebounding."
He says metro residents need to remember all of Minnesota is considered bear country, and that securing your home from spring through fall can help prepare you for potential future encounters.
Whittaker says this rebounding population and the search for easy meals are driving black bears into neighborhoods.
"Bears have phenomenal sense of smells," Whittaker explains. "Their sense of smell is seven times better than your dog. The other thing is bears have a built-in memory that they remember where food is. So maybe in previous years they found a bird feeder, or a berry patch, a patch of oak trees, things like that. And they'll remember that and come back the following year."
The DNR says you can easily avoid a visit from one at your home simply by securing food sources, and hiding your trash bins.
In recent weeks, Twin Cities metro area bear sightings have come from Elk River, Shoreview, Burnsville, and even Edina
In recent weeks, Twin Cities metro area bear sightings have come from Elk River, Shoreview, Burnsville, and even Edina
