Iowa
In bear-barren state, Iowa officials issue bear safety tips
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa has hardly any bears, however one retains popping up in Dubuque and has led state and metropolis officers to advise residents to be on guard for black bear encounters.
The Iowa Division of Pure Sources and the town of Dubuque issued a “bear conscious” launch this week following various sightings since early Might of a black bear within the northeastern a part of the town. The strategies together with stowing away meals sources, akin to fowl feeders, pet meals and rubbish cans, and a warning for residents who encounter a bear to not run, however again away slowly.
Black bears are native to Iowa, but it surely’s been greater than 100 years for the reason that state has had a resident bear inhabitants. There have been only some bear sightings yearly in Iowa over the past 20 years, based on Iowa DNR wildlife biologist Curt Kemmerer. Bears in Iowa usually are migrating from states like Minnesota and Wisconsin, which have between 15,000 and 30,000 black bears, to Missouri, which has about 1,000 breeding bears within the wild.
“We have no idea for positive what number of bears are in Iowa at any given cut-off date, however that quantity could be very, very small — maybe three to 5 bears,” Kemmerer stated.
That quantity in Iowa might improve alongside the Mississippi River, the place there’s nonetheless some habitat that may help the animals, wetland wildlife analysis biologist Vince Evelsize stated.
“Throughout the subsequent three to 5 years, I feel we are able to count on to see cubs present up and a small breeding inhabitants grow to be established,” Evelsize stated.