burun wrote:

The Code is Almighty wrote:

That is adorable.

So cute! But he would slash my face off if I cuddled him.

placeholder wrote:"The zoo must kill the bear."

I disagree with this! I think this zoo has done the right thing!

What say you guys?

Three bears sighted in Wisconsin cities in just two days
ROBERT IMRIE
Associated Press

Burly black bears wandered into three Wisconsin communities this week and drew crowds of gawkers.

It's not uncommon for hungry bears to stray into urban settings, but three in one week was a little unusual, said Brad Koele, a bear ecologist with the state Department of Natural Resources in Madison.

"People get excited when they see bears," he said Wednesday. "Generally, they don't cause many problems and they move out of the city pretty quick when they are getting harassed or people are constantly coming to look at them."

Each spring, the DNR gets at least a half-dozen reports of bear sightings in communities -- usually young males wandering around looking for food, Koele said.

Sometimes, wildlife experts trap or tranquilize the bears and move them back to forested areas with swamps and streams, he said.

Koele said no humans have been injured in Wisconsin because of a bear attack. The DNR describes the animal as "shy and solitary" and says nearly all of its conflicts with humans are due to its search for food.

Here's the reported bear sightings this week based on published accounts:

In Shawano, a large black bear that was spotted in a wooded area of the city drew spectators as wildlife experts tranquilized and removed it Tuesday. The bear weighed an estimated 320 pounds and was taken to Oconto County.

In Wisconsin Rapids, a bear cub apparently wandered from a nearby cranberry bog and wooded area into the city, where it found a comfortable perch in a tree Monday. Homeowners were advised to leave the cub, estimated at 2 to 4 months old, alone and it would go back to where it came from.

In Stanley, a black bear in a downtown tree on Monday drew a crowd. DNR warden Scott Bowe estimated the bear was 3 years old and weighed about 200 pounds. It likely wandered into town because it was hungry, he said.

According to the DNR, Wisconsin has about 13,000 bears, primarily in the northern third of state. That's triple the population of 20 years ago. Koele said bears are being seen more frequently in central and southern counties because yearling males and younger bears are seeking new territories.

Bears have been spotted as far south as Middleton, Koele said.

The average black bear weighs 200 to 250 pounds but some have grown to 600 pounds, Koele said. Last fall, hunters killed 3,068 bears, just shy of the record 3,184 bears killed in 1998, Koele said. According to the DNR, 73,300 hunters applied for the 4,370 permits issued to shoot a bear last year.

"There is definitely a really healthy bear population in Wisconsin and they are doing well," Koele said.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

In Wisconsin this week, it's the bears of that phrase that have caused a stir.

Tips on reducing bear conflicts

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources offers the following tips for homeowners and campers in reducing conflicts with black bears:

Make bird feeders inaccessible to bears by hanging them at least 10 feet off the ground and 5 feet from tree trunks or from a tree limb that will not support a bear. During spring and summer, bring the feeders inside at night.

Take bird feeders down in mid-April when bears emerge.

If a bear is spotted at a feeder during the day, take it down for at least two weeks.

Keep garbage cans tightly closed and occasionally clean them with ammonia.

Clean and put away outdoor grills after using them.

Don't leave pet food outside at night.

When camping, don't cook, eat or store food in a tent.

Store food and cooking utensils away from the campsite, such as in a vehicle or hung in a tree at least 10 feet off the ground and on a limb that won't support a bear.

Dispose of food scraps in closed containers away from the campsite, not in a camp fire.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

itchy mcgoo wrote: