Cage containing aggressive young Hot Springs Village bear (photo courtesy of Todd Noles)
Superintendent of Lakes, Dams, Common Property, and Forestry Todd Noles stated, “As you know, we have bears in the Village. There have been several sightings.” Because of the bear sightings, Noles requested that bird feeders and other food sources are removed.
Noles stated, “One of the bears became habituated. He was no longer afraid of humans, and he charged someone. This action classified the bear as ‘aggressive.’ Noles contacted the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, who set a trap on Wednesday, May 31, near the location where the property owner was charged. The bear was caught on the morning of Thursday, June 1.
Noles said, “The bear was not hurt in the trapping process. He will be anesthetized and removed from the trailer (cage). The Rangers will draw blood from him in the field. This blood is tested to ensure he is healthy. His ears, teeth, and paws will be measured, and his ear will be tagged with a number. This tag will help with tracking if he is seen again.
Noles estimates the male bear to be young, probably only eighteen months old, but a more accurate determination of his age will be made when the Game and Fish staff take a closer look.
In this case, if the bear were older, he would have been euthanized instead of relocated. Luckily, this bear was young enough to be saved, which is always the hope.
For the safety of the bear and the public, he will be released on National Forest land north of Lake Winona Refuge, where he will rejoin his kind and have a good home.
If Villagers are patient, the bears in the Village will leave when their natural food sources are depleted. These sources include huckleberries, pokeberries, and blackberries. Then they will naturally move out of the Village. Readily available food sources from humans encourage the bears to remain in the area longer.
Noles said that he and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission urge property owners during the latter part of May, June, and July to remove their bird and hummingbird feeders and don’t leave anything out that will attract the bears. This includes garbage cans. When humans make food sources easily available to the bears (intentional or not), they lose their fear of humans. They may become aggressive, leading to a dangerous situation for the bear and humans.
Remember, feeding the bears is not a kind act.
By Cheryl Dowden; Photography courtesy of Todd Noles
Will you please tell us residents when we can safely put the hummingbird feeders back up?
Hi Laura. Thanks for commenting. The article states, “Noles said that he and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission urge property owners during the latter part of May, June, and July to remove their bird and hummingbird feeders and don’t leave anything out that will attract the bears. This includes garbage cans. When humans make food sources easily available to the bears (intentional or not), they lose their fear of humans. They may become aggressive, leading to a dangerous situation for the bear and humans.” So it appears we can resume bird and hummingbird feeding in August. Thanks, again.