Human-Bear Conflicts

 

Today, Kentucky is home to a growing bear population that offers widespread viewing opportunities in the wild. While the core population is concentrated along the Pine, Cumberland, and Black Mountain areas, bears may now be found throughout the eastern portions of the Commonwealth. As numbers continue to expand, however, human-bear interactions have become commonplace and it is necessary that residents and visitors learn to live in bear country.

Data collected by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) clearly illustrate that most conflicts are the result of intentional feeding, or access to other human-related sources such as garbage, pet food, livestock feed, and birdfeeders.

Following these simple guidelines will enable you to minimize human-bear conflicts and help the KDFWR better manage our growing bear population. Residents and visitors to Kentucky need to be responsible so negative behaviors in bears are not encouraged. Doing so will not only prevent nuisance problems for you and your neighbors, but will ultimately maintain the integrity of our bear population by keeping it wild.

Bear Observation Report Map, 2008

Black bear Nuisance Complaints