Black Bears On The Move: RI DEM

It's time to take down the bird feeders and deal with other items that attract bears, the state says. Hibernation is over for black bears, and they're on the move looking for food. People who live in rural areas of Providence, Kent and Washington counties need to take stock of their property and become "bear smart," the Department of Environmental Management says.

The black bears' population has been growing in Rhode Island, the DEM says.

Here are the tips.

Remove bird feeders by early April, and wait until early November to put them up. •

Don't feed pets outside.

Store birdseed, livestock feed, and garbage in buildings.

Take garbage out for pickup on the morning of collection – not the night before.

Keep barbecue grills clean of grease.

And do not put meat or sweet food scraps in your compost pile.

Use electric fencing around chicken coops, beehives, rabbit hutches, and livestock pens.

Move livestock into barns at night.

Above all, DO NOT FEED BEARS. These are wild animals. An adult male typically weighs between 150 and 450 pounds, while females generally weigh between 100 and 250 pounds.

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