For the first time in decades, black bears have been sighted in St. Tammany Parish, and the ursine interlopings were caught on camera.
WWL Outdoors Show host Don Dubuc says these are very rare bears, indeed.
Don Dubuc
"I can't ever recall or confirm the definite confirmation of a black bear being in St. Tammany Parish," said Dubuc. He said it has been more than 50 years since the last time a black bear sighting was confirmed.
"There was one that was killed, actually in Mandeville in the city limits, and that was back in the 1960s," he said.
These most recent bears were spotted in the Dixie Ranch Wildlife Management club near Lacombe, and the other at the Camp Villere club in the Pearl River area.
Don Dubuc
"They're going to the corn feeders, on hunting clubs, where they put out these automatic feeders that throw corn out," Dubuc explained. "The bears are attracted to the corn, they're eating it, one of them's standing up there, actually looking in it."
Dubuc says the bears shouldn't be considered dangerous, but if you encounter one, it is best to move away slowly, and if one follows you, try to make yourself appear bigger, or make some noise to try and frighten it.
One thing you do not want to do is harm or kill a black bear. While they are no longer considered endangered, they are a protected species, and killing one could mean 120 days in jail, a criminal fine of $950, and a civil fine of $10,000.
Don Dubuc
