Tips offered on living with bears

The Nevada Department of Wildlife and the Carson City Sheriff's Department will hold a meeting Wednesday to teach the community how to live with bears.

As part of the Department of Wildlife's "Bear Aware" program, Carl Lackey, wildlife biologist, will offer do's and don't's of living responsibly in bear habitat and what to do when you encounter a bear.

"Carson residents and others may find these lessons especially useful if displaced black bears from the July Waterfall fire pass through the burned area to seek alternate food sources in nearby neighborhoods," said Jill Olson of the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Lackey, Rob Buonamici of NDOW and Carson City Sheriff Kenny Furlong will answer questions.

"Anyone who lives near black bear habitat or has encounters with black bears will find the meeting interesting and valuable," Lackey said. "It's not uncommon for bears to travel down into the Carson City area from the mountain range. When this happens, it is important that the public knows what to do and how to avoid confrontations with a bear."

The Tahoe Basin has the second-highest density of black bears in North America, with several bears per square mile at times. Lackey said bear populations are not increasing, but have redistributed across the range because of wildland fires.

Furlong said since the Waterfall fire, Carson City deputies have responded to several calls of bears in yards and one call of a bear inside a home.

"This draws a large concern for the Sheriff's Department. I think the public and the department need this information. There's a difference between a bear that is a hazard and one that is a nuisance, and hopefully this meeting will help people better understand and distinguish between the two."

The meeting is 7 to 9 p.m. in the Cedar Room 100 in Marlette Hall at Western Nevada Community College.

Contact F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.