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I've been following a few Algonquin Facebook pages and it sure sounds like there are a ton of bear sightings this summer in the park (car campgrounds). It sounds like people are seeing multiple bears a day in a whole bunch of the campgrounds. It also sounds as though people are not doing their part to keep clean sights, which we all know will likely lead to the unfortunate dimise of some bears. Anyone know what has caused the sudden surge of bear activity over the past while? Is it a poor berry crop?
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At the Rock lake office yesterday they told us the blueberry crop this year was almost non existent thus the bears moving in to the campgrounds. We were filing a report when they told us the situation.
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My wife and I went for a hike up to Silver Peak in Killarney yesterday and I pointed out to her that the only two blueberries we saw were tiny and diseased. The lack of blueberries is definitley a factor. We ended up having a small bear circle us on the trail back to the kayaks, but he wasn't bold enough to try a go at the beef jerky in my backpack! However, there seemed to be a bumper crop of acorns in that area, and the bears usually turn to them at this time of year so I think they will go back to the bush for the fall. The guy at Killarney Kanoes commented that nuisance bears were simpy shot when he was a kid and bad behaviour was not passed on to the next generation.
I posed a similar question earlier this summer though. There seems to be a higher tolerance to nuisance bears in the campgrounds by park staff. I don't think it's reasonable to expect people to keep ALL food stored during the day when they/we're actually consuming it. The bears have figured out that campers are generally storing their food properly at night but not during the day, which is when I watched a family of bears casually visit every campsite in Grundy when I was there in July.
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The berry crop was awful this summer. We only saw 2 bears during our 30+ days in the interior this summer. My impression is the approach in Killarney seems to be too forgiving to bears that are aggresive. In campgrounds people should be more careful. I have also witnessed awful behaviour on easy to access back country sites. It is hard to say if they were 'worse' this year.
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I usually spend a night at a campground when I come out of the backcountry due to the lengthy drive home. Two of the campgrounds this year I stayed at had the "Bear in the Area" sign at the gate. Both times the bear was the famous "Princess". I had a maintenance guy tell me that its been his experience that some campers have intentionally set out their garbage or food to get a good photo of wildlife. Needless to say this guy was cleaning up the garbage too so that's probably why I got this story. Princess apparently visited a site a few doors down from me one morning...guess I was doing something right when I didn't see her.
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I don't think that bears could survive if they only ate berries. It would be long, lean time between spring (end of hibernation) and July or August when any berries are finally ripe enough to eat.
Black bears search constantly for food to feed their young and build fat for their long winter hibernation.
Approximately 75 percent of the black bear diet consists of twigs, leaves, shoots, buds, berries, roots, grasses and nuts. Insects, fish, carrion, and the spring-born young of moose and deer make up the remainder.
However, bears are opportunistic feeders and will take advantage of any food source. This can bring them into contact with people, crops, campsites and garbage dumps.
And backyard bird feeders, filled with sunflower seeds.
Barbara
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Black bears begin to den following El Nino warmth, abundant fall food supply in eastern US.
By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff WriterJanuary 6, 2016; 5:22 AM ET.
El Niño warmth won't hamper black bears from denning this winter in the eastern United States, wildlife experts said. However, it may be causing some delays.
Last edited by Tripper_Scott (1/06/2016 6:33 am)
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