Our houses were built in bears' occupied range and habitat. Please read the following tips on how to keep you and your family safe and New Mexico’s bears protected. The bears are out of hibernation and foraging for food. You won’t see bears around your home if there is nothing there for them to find to eat. These tips will take less than a couple of minutes a day to maintain.
TIPS FOR LIVING WITH BEARS
DON’T FEED A BEAR – EVER……….A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR!
If you live in ‘bear country’ and see a bear nearby or it is in a nearby tree…take your dog and yourself inside to give the bear time to leave. Call NMG&F only if the bear appears aggressive or is trying to get into a house.
Keep trash stored in a sturdy metal shed or closed garage. Put out garbage only on morning of pickup.
Don’t feed pets outdoors or leave pet dishes or store pet food outdoors. Keep pet dishes and pet food away from door entries. Store pet food in a secure area indoors.
Hang seed feeders and hummingbird feeders from wires 10’ off the ground or bring in hummingbird feeders each night. Feed suet and peanut butter only in winter when bears are in hibernation. Store birdseed in a closed container in a sturdy shed or the garage.
Keep barbecue grills clean or stored inside.
Keep kitchen windows and doors closed on summer nights.
Don’t plant fruit trees or berry bushes near your home. Remove fruit before it ripens to stop bears from climbing and breaking branches. Remove fallen fruit. Don’t add melon rinds or fruit to compost pile except in winter.
Don’t leave food, groceries, pet food or birdseed in your car overnight if it’s parked outside.
Don’t feed other wildlife; it will also attract bears. It is against NM law to feed bears on purpose.
If a bear is drinking from your swimming pool or hot tub, put water out as far away as possible from your house and neighbors’ homes. Bears need water, but you want them to stay away from your house.
Please understand that a trapped bear does not transplant well. A high percentage of bears die after being relocated. NMG&F continues to raise the statewide bear hunt by amounts that will result in the destruction of our bear population. It’s up to you to take it upon yourself to help protect our Sandia Mountain bear population.
Call your Sandia Heights Wildlife Steward, Kate Fry, at 828-9618 or Sandia Mountain BearWatch’s Jan Hayes for more advice at 281-9282.